Search

With the emerging popularity of online food delivery (OFD) services, this research examined predictors affecting customer intention to use OFD services amid the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Specifically, Study 1 examined the moderating effect of the pandemic on the relationship between six predictors (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, price saving benefit, time saving benefit, food safety risk perception, and trust) and OFD usage intention, and Study 2 extended the model by adding customer perceptions of COVID-19 (perceived severity and vulnerability) during the pandemic. Study 1 showed that all of the predictors except food safety risk perception significantly affected OFD usage intention, but no moderation effect of COVID-19 was found. In Study 2, while perceived severity and vulnerability had no significant impact on OFD usage intention, the altered effects of socio-demographic variables during the COVID-19 pandemic were found. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided.

Considering the significant number of vegetarian customers and the global trend of reducing meat consumption, the primary objective of this study is to examine the effects of six restaurant attribu...

Originating from an IAE V2527 aircraft gas turbine engine running a series of reference and blended fuels, nonvolatile particulate matter was collected upon transmission electron microscopy grids for analysis. A striking observation is the range of primary particle size with projected particle diameters ranging from 5 to 100 nm within the same aggregate. This range of particle size is interpreted as describing the corresponding ensemble of fuel rich pockets in terms of fuel-air-equivalence ratio (Φ) and duration. Some parcels are sufficiently diluted or short-lived by turbulent action and allow only small primary particles to form. Other parcels are larger, live longer or a combination allowing large primary particles to form. In this manner, the soot particles provide forensic insights into the turbulent mixing dynamics. Consequently, there is no single streamline or trajectory describing particle growth and no single condition in Φ or temperature for particle nucleation. There is also no observable correspondence between particle size and fuel aromatic or hydrogen content. Given the different trajectories of small/large particles, their growth histories and species origins, a difference in H/C ratio would be expected. This is reflected in the relative contributions of sp2/sp3 content within the particles as confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis. Supporting evidence for the role of turbulent induced mixing upon primary particle growth is evidenced by varied particle size modes for XC-72, oxidation reactivity of R250, both commercial furnace blacks. Further confirmation is found by pulsed laser derivatization of XC-72.

This study investigates the impact of hotel attributes and complimentary and emerging amenities on online user ratings and compares their effects across star ratings. By combining data scraped from...

Context.-The ability to determine ROS1 status has become mandatory for patients with lung adenocarcinoma, as many global authorities have approved crizotinib for patients with ROS1-positive lung adenocarcinoma. Objective.-To present analytical correlation of the VENTANA ROS1 (SP384) Rabbit Monoclonal Primary Antibody (ROS1 [SP384] antibody) with ROS1 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Design.-The immunohistochemistry (IHC) and FISH analytical comparison was assessed by using 122 non-small cell lung cancer samples that had both FISH (46 positive and 76 negative cases) and IHC staining results available. In addition, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as well as DNA and RNA next-generation sequencing (NGS) were used to further examine the ROS1 status in cases that were discrepant between FISH and IHC, based on staining in the cytoplasm of 2+ or above in more than 30% of total tumor cells considered as IHC positive. Here, we define the consensus status as the most frequent result across the 5 different methods (IHC, FISH, RT-PCR, RNA NGS, and DNA NGS) we used to determine ROS1 status in these cases. Results.-Of the IHC scoring methods examined, staining in the cytoplasm of 2+ or above in more than 30% of total tumor cells considered as IHC positive had the highest correlation with a FISH-positive status, reaching a positive percentage agreement of 97.8% and negative percentage agreement of 89.5%. A positive percentage agreement (100%) and negative percentage agreement (92.0%) was reached by comparing ROS1 (SP384) using a cutoff for staining in the cytoplasm of 2+ or above in more than 30% of total tumor cells to the consensus status. Conclusions.-Herein, we present a standardized staining protocol for ROS1 (SP384) and data that support the high correlation between ROS1 status and ROS1 (SP384) antibody. © 2020 College of American Pathologists. All rights reserved. Boehringer Ingelheim; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Pfizer; Novartis; Roche; AbbVie; Merck KGaA Dr Huang, Mr Smith, Dr Menzl, Dr Le, Mr Liu, Dr Ordinario, Dr Manohar, Mr Lee, Mr Rajamani, Mr Truong, Dr Jing Li, Ms Choi, Dr Jingchuan Li, Dr Pati, Dr Hanlon Newell, and Mr Pate are Roche employees and receive a salary from Roche. Dr Bubendorf received research support from Roche and received honoraria related to advisory board meetings (Pfizer, Roche). Dr Buettner is a cofounder and chief scientific officer of Targos Mol. Pathol. Inc, Kassel, Germany. Dr Kerr has received honoraria for advisory work and lectures from Ventana Medical Systems, Roche, and Pfizer; these payments were outside the scope of this work. Dr Lopez-Rios received funding and honoraria from Roche, Pfizer, and Thermo Fischer. Dr Marchetti has received honoraria for advisory work and lectures from Ventana Medical Systems, Roche, and Pfizer; these payments were outside the scope of this work. Dr Marondel is an employee and receives a salary from Pfizer. Dr Nicholson serves as a consultant and receives a fee from Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer (also research grant), Novartis, Astra Zeneca (also payment for lecture), Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche, and ABBVIE. Dr Pauwels received research grants from Pfizer, Roche, and Astra Zeneca and was paid for attending advisory boards of BMS, MSD Astra Zeneca, Takedo, Roche, and Boehringer. Dr Thunnissen participates in Ventana advisory board meetings. The other authors (Dr Öz, Dr Penault-Llorca, and Dr Rossi) have no relevant financial interest in the products or companies described in this article.

Lineage-specific gene expression is modulated by a balance between transcriptional activation and repression during animal development. Knowledge about enhancer-centered transcriptional activation has advanced considerably, but silencers and their roles in normal development remain poorly understood. Here, we performed chromatin interaction analyses of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), a key inducer of transcriptional gene silencing, to uncover silencers, their molecular identity and associated chromatin connectivity. Systematic analysis of cis-regulatory silencer elements reveals their chromatin features and gene-targeting specificity. Deletion of certain PRC2-bound silencers in mice results in transcriptional derepression of their interacting genes and pleiotropic developmental phenotypes, including embryonic lethality. While some PRC2-bound elements function as silencers in pluripotent cells, they can transition into active tissue-specific enhancers during development, highlighting their regulatory versatility. Our study characterizes the molecular profile of silencers and their associated chromatin architectures, and suggests the possibility of targeted reactivation of epigenetically silenced genes. Chromatin interaction analysis identifies PRC2-bound silencers in mESCs, which, when deleted in mice, can lead to developmental phenotypes. Silencers in pluripotent cells can transition into active tissue-specific enhancers during development.

Festivals are experiential products heavily depending on the recommendations of previous visitors. With the power of social media growing, understanding the antecedents of positive electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) intentions of festival attendees is immensely beneficial for festival organizers to better promote their festivals and control negative publicity. However, there is still limited research regarding eWOM intentions in the festival context. Thus, this study aims to fill such a gap by investigating the relationships among festival attendees&rsquo, enjoyment seeking motivation, perceived value, visitor satisfaction, and eWOM intention in a local festival setting. Additionally, the moderating role of gender was tested as it is one of the most important demographic variables to show individual differences in behavioral intentions. The results of structural equation modeling showed a positive effect of enjoyment seeking motivation on perceived value, visitor satisfaction, and eWOM intention. Moreover, gender differences in eWOM intention and a full mediating effect of visitor satisfaction between perceived value and eWOM intention for female respondents were revealed. The findings of this study extend the existing festival literature and provide insights for strategically organizing and promoting festivals to generate more positive eWOM which can be utilized as an effective marketing tool and a feedback channel.

Because of their cultural and financial contributions to their host institutions and communities, higher education has recruited more international students to its institutions. In order to underst...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine differences of the perceived internal marketing practices (IMP), job satisfaction (JS), organizational commitment (OC) and turnover intention (TI) between full- and part-time employees and to incorporate employment status as a moderator in the restaurant employee turnover model. Design/methodology/approach The target population included current restaurant full- or part-time employees in the USA. The questionnaire was distributed to potential participants through an online survey that the company used to collect nationwide data. Findings Full-time employees’ perceptions of the IMP were comparably greater than those of part-time employees, and full-time employees were also more committed to the organization and had less intention to leave than their part-time counterparts. Significant moderating effects of employment status existed in the restaurant employee turnover model. Research limitations/implications The current study may not adequately capture the differences between full- and part-time employees by asking respondents to identify their employment status. Practical implications IMP should be facilitated at the management level to provide insight and value to their employees, and more attention and effort in the internal marketing and human resource practices for part-time employees are needed to have more satisfied and committed employees, and, in turn, better performance. Originality/value The literature on full- and part-time employees was incomplete, and there was minimal research that tested differences between full- and part-time employees in the foodservice industry.

As the significance of frontline employees increases in the foodservice industry, organizations are paying more attention to internal marketing and customer-oriented behavior for the success of their business. Thus, this study surveys restaurant employees to investigate the impact of development and rewards on job satisfaction and customer-oriented behavior from the perspective of restaurant employees. This study not only supports aspects of previous literature, but also proposes a testable and parsimonious research model by exploring development, rewards, job satisfaction, and customer-oriented behavior simultaneously and revealing how those factors are correlated. Finally, limitations and future research directions are addressed.

With the development of social media, customers are sharing their experiences, and it is rapidly spreading as a form of online review. That is why the online review has become a significant information source affecting customers&rsquo, purchase intention and behavior. Therefore, it is important to understand the customer&rsquo, s experience shown in the online review in order to maintain sustainable customer satisfaction and loyalty. The purpose of this study is to investigate what are the key attributes and the structural relationship of those key attributes. To accomplish this purpose, a total of 6596 hotel reviews were collected from Google (google.com). A frequency analysis using text mining was performed to figure out the most frequently mentioned attributes. In addition, semantic network analysis, factor analysis, and regression analysis were applied to understand the experience and satisfaction of the hotel customer. As a result, the top 99 keywords were divided into four groups such as &ldquo, Intangible Service&rdquo, &ldquo, Physical Environment&rdquo, Purpose&rdquo, and &ldquo, Location&rdquo, The factor analysis reduced the dimension of the original 64 keywords to 22 keywords, and grouped them into five factors, which are &ldquo, Access&rdquo, F&amp, B (Food and Beverage)&rdquo, Tangibles&rdquo, Empathy&rdquo, Based on these results, theoretical and practical implications for sustainable hotel marketing strategies are suggested.

The ability to determineTo present analytical correlation of the VENTANA ROS1 (SP384) Rabbit Monoclonal Primary Antibody (ROS1 [SP384] antibody) withThe immunohistochemistry (IHC) and FISH analytical comparison was assessed by using 122 non-small cell lung cancer samples that had both FISH (46 positive and 76 negative cases) and IHC staining results available. In addition, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as well as DNA and RNA next-generation sequencing (NGS) were used to further examine the ROS1 status in cases that were discrepant between FISH and IHC, based on staining in the cytoplasm of 2+ or above in more than 30% of total tumor cells considered as IHC positive. Here, we define the consensus status as the most frequent result across the 5 different methods (IHC, FISH, RT-PCR, RNA NGS, and DNA NGS) we used to determine ROS1 status in these cases.Of the IHC scoring methods examined, staining in the cytoplasm of 2+ or above in more than 30% of total tumor cells considered as IHC positive had the highest correlation with a FISH-positive status, reaching a positive percentage agreement of 97.8% and negative percentage agreement of 89.5%. A positive percentage agreement (100%) and negative percentage agreement (92.0%) was reached by comparing ROS1 (SP384) using a cutoff for staining in the cytoplasm of 2+ or above in more than 30% of total tumor cells to the consensus status.Herein, we present a standardized staining protocol for ROS1 (SP384) and data that support the high correlation between ROS1 status and ROS1 (SP384) antibody.

This study aims to provide an integrated model that examines the determinants of customer intention to use facial recognition systems (FRS) in quick-service restaurants (QSRs). An extended model built based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) was tested via structural equation modeling (SEM) using data collected from a sample of 558 QSR customers. The results showed that perceived performance expectancy, social influence, and trust in the system significantly and positively affect customer intention to use FRS to access loyalty and payment accounts. Furthermore, customer hedonic motivation had a positive effect on the intention to use FRS for authorization to their loyalty accounts, but no effect on the intention to use this technology for payment account authorization. The developed model would be helpful to managers for making a decision of utilizing FRS in QSRs and promoting the technology among customers.

ObjectiveAccording to the US Affordable Care Act, restaurant chains are required to provide energy (calorie) and other nutrition information on their menu. The current study examined the impact of menu labelling containing calorie information and recommended daily calorie intake, along with subjective nutrition knowledge, on intention to select lower-calorie foods prior to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.DesignFull factorial experimental design with participants exposed to four variants of a sample menu in a 2 (presence v. absence of calorie information) ×2 (presence v. absence of recommended daily calorie intake).SettingLarge, public university in the Southwest USA.SubjectsPrimarily undergraduate college students.ResultsMajority of participants were 19–23 years of age (mean 21·8 (sd 3·6) years). Menu information about calorie content and respondents’ subjective nutrition knowledge had a significantly positive impact on students’ intention to select lower-calorie foods (β=0·24, Pβ=0·33, Pβ=0·10, P=0·105). Gender played a significant role on purchase intent for lower-calorie menu items, with females more affected by the calorie information than males (β=0·37, PConclusionsFindings support the role menu labelling can play in encouraging a healthier lifestyle for college students. College students who are Generation Y desire healthier menu options and accept nutritional labels on restaurant menus as a way to easily and expediently obtain nutrition information.

This study investigated the effects of gender, perceived quality and perceived value of campus foodservice on customer satisfaction. A total of 346 participants were surveyed at a large, public university in the Southwest United States. The relationships among three latent constructs (perceived quality, perceived value, and customer satisfaction) were measured using structural equation modeling. The findings showed that both perceived quality and perceived value had significant effects on customer satisfaction. Furthermore, gender had a significant moderating role on the relationship between perceived quality and perceived value.

The purpose of this research was to assess university students’ nutrition knowledge, confidence, information sources and their body image. This study used an online survey engine to collect data from college students. The result of the correlation showed overall subjective knowledge had significant correlation with nutrition. Means of the BMI were compared among the demographic groups with regard to their ethnicity, classification, and age. Significant differences were found among demographic groups regarding the means of the BMI. These findings can enhance the extant literature on the universal applicability of the model and serve as useful references for further investigations within other health care or foodservice settings and for other health behavioral categories.

Given the steadily increasing popularity of food trucks among consumers, this study investigated customer selection attributes and dining intention toward food trucks and compared the importance of the selection attributes by customer segments based on respondents’ food-related lifestyle. The results of an online survey from 421 food truck customers indicated that out of the six food truck selection attributes identified (i.e., marketing/setting, food quality/value, service quality, dietary considerations, reputation, and experience), food quality/value ranked the highest among general food truck customers who were classified into four groups: health-conscious, price-oriented, taste-oriented, and convenience-oriented. Among them, two groups—health-conscious and taste-oriented—had a higher dining intention at a food truck than other types of customers, and the importance of all six attributes differed significantly across customer segments. The findings of this study provide meaningful theoretical and practical implications.

The purpose of this study was to examine the gratification factors that increase user satisfaction of hotels’ Facebook pages and to determine how user satisfaction affects visit intention to a hotel by applying the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory. Using structural equation modeling, this study suggested three gratifications of information, convenience, and self-expression serve as antecedents for user satisfaction with the hotel’s Facebook page, but two gratifications of entertainment and social interaction did not significantly affect user satisfaction with the hotel’s Facebook page. The results of the study also showed a positive relationship between user satisfaction with a hotel’s Facebook page and intention to stay at that hotel in the future. The findings of this study provide theoretical contributions by extending the application of the U&G theory to hotels Facebook usage and these results can guide hotel companies toward improving their Facebook pages in order to meet the users’ needs.

Internal marketing has been considered as a way of achieving higher service quality and customer satisfaction in the service industry. However, the definitions and implementation of internal marketing varies by researcher. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore an explanatory internal marketing mix that can be utilized in the foodservice industry. Using a web-based survey method, a total of 405 usable samples were collected and used in the data analysis. Five internal marketing components (i.e., vision, development, reward, employee motivation, and internal communication) were adopted from previous literature, and the results indicated significant impacts of the internal marketing mix on employee job satisfaction.

This study examined relationships among service quality, food quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intention regarding dining experiences in continuing care retirement communities in the United States. Specifically, the effects of service quality and food quality on residents’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions were investigated. Overall, the results of this study indicated that both service and food quality have positive impacts on residents’ satisfaction. However, only food quality positively influenced behavioral intention. This implies that service quality did not have a direct impact on behavioral intention. However, service quality influenced behavioral intention by mediating residents’ satisfaction. Practical implications based on the findings were also discussed.

[Background] The fungal genus Aspergillus is of critical importance to humankind. Species include those with industrial applications, important pathogens of humans, animals and crops, a source of potent carcinogenic contaminants of food, and an important genetic model. The genome sequences of eight aspergilli have already been explored to investigate aspects of fungal biology, raising questions about evolution and specialization within this genus., [Results] We have generated genome sequences for ten novel, highly diverse Aspergillus species and compared these in detail to sister and more distant genera. Comparative studies of key aspects of fungal biology, including primary and secondary metabolism, stress response, biomass degradation, and signal transduction, revealed both conservation and diversity among the species. Observed genomic differences were validated with experimental studies. This revealed several highlights, such as the potential for sex in asexual species, organic acid production genes being a key feature of black aspergilli, alternative approaches for degrading plant biomass, and indications for the genetic basis of stress response. A genome-wide phylogenetic analysis demonstrated in detail the relationship of the newly genome sequenced species with other aspergilli., [Conclusions] Many aspects of biological differences between fungal species cannot be explained by current knowledge obtained from genome sequences. The comparative genomics and experimental study, presented here, allows for the first time a genus-wide view of the biological diversity of the aspergilli and in many, but not all, cases linked genome differences to phenotype. Insights gained could be exploited for biotechnological and medical applications of fungi., The sugar transporter analysis was supported by grants AGL2011-29925 and AGL2015-66131- AGL2015-66131-C2-2-R (MINECO/FEDER).

This study examined relationships among healthy food awareness, behavioral intention toward healthy foods, and actualbehavior of Generation Y consumers. This study hypothesized that Generation Y consumers are aware of healthy foods andmore likely to eat healthy foods while avoiding junk foods. According to structural equation modeling, all hypothesized pathswere statistically significant, meaning that the three constructs in the model showed positive relationships with each other.Results showed that this group of college students is generally aware of healthy foods and have positive intentions towardhealthy food choices. Therefore, university foodservice management needs to continue to improve their menus in order toattract this new generation of college student consumers.Key Words: Healthy food awareness, behavioral intention, Generation Y, university foodservice I. Introduction In the United States university foodservice is one of thelargest sectors of the foodservice industry, and the market isgetting considerably larger in terms of the number ofpotential consumers (Andaleeb & Caskey 2007; Kim et al.2004; Knutson 2000; Seo et al. 2012). According to a reportby the U.S. Census Bureau (2010), there were approximately19 million college students in 2008, indicating 22% increasefrom 2000. These numbers imply that there is an increasingdemand in university foodservice. A recent study by Technomicshowed that 62% of college/university students purchasedfood or beverages from on-campus foodservice at least oncea week (Technomic 2011). According to the report, collegestudent consumers are concerned with healthy food, such asones low in fat, calories, and sodium; meanwhile, increasingtheir interest in healthy, or eco-friendly, foods broughtchanges to university foodservice at students’ respectiveschools (Jang et al. 2011; Lee et al. 2013).The definition of the term “healthy foods” has not beenclearly settled and varies depending on the source andcontext. According to the FDA (Food and DrugAdministration 2013), food that is low in fat, limited in theamount of sodium/cholesterol it contains, and food thatprovides a certain amount of nutrients is considered to be“healthy food.” One challenge for university foodservicenow is that most consumers are Generation Y or Millennials,(people born between the mid-1970s and 1990s). Mostcollege students are Generation Ys. These consumers aresophisticated, eating out frequently, and willing to pay extrafor better foods/service; therefore, in order to successfullymarket to this generation, university foodservice operatorsshould understand college students’ behavioral intention andhow to satisfy them (Kim, 2013; Lee & Kim 2012). Thegeneral awareness of healthier food that dominated the 1990shas led to greater menu choices in foodservice for bothbusiness and industry. Kwon et al. (2010) defined a healthymenu item as “a menu item with an increased nutritionalvalue or decreased health risk attributed to a change of foodingredients or cooking methods.” Generally speaking, healthymenus are now being provided with more varied choicesincluding low-fat and lowered-calorie menu options. Thus,the foodservice industry is examining new ways of exploitingmarket opportunities to satisfy their customers.Even though there is some research regarding healthyfoods in university foodservice, behavioral intention toward

Introduction: Genomic profiling of tumors is an important clinical tool for biomarker discovery and therapy selection. Tumor profiling often relies on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue which is challenging because of fragmentation, cross-linking, and nucleotide modifications that arise from the fixation process. AVENIO Tumor Tissue Analysis Kits (For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures) provide an end-to-end solution for FFPE tumor tissue genomic profiling using hybrid-capture next-generation sequencing (NGS). Three panel options (Targeted, Expanded, and Surveillance Kits) provide flexibility in gene coverage with accurate detection of four major types of cancer mutations: single nucleotide variants (SNVs), insertions/deletions (indels), fusions and copy number variations (CNVs). AVENIO Tumor Tissue Analysis Kits were verified and validated on the Illumina NextSeq 500/550 sequencers but there is a need to show comparable performance on alternative NGS platforms. Confirmation of equivalent performance on the HiSeq 4000 allows for sequencing of up to sixteen multiplexed library pools, and simultaneous sequencing of samples analyzed using the AVENIO Tumor Tissue Analysis Kits and the AVENIO ctDNA Analysis Kits. Methods: In this study, we compared the performance of the three panel options for the AVENIO Tumor Tissue Analysis Kits (For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures) across three Illumina NGS platforms: Illumina NextSeq 500, Illumina HiSeq 4000, and Illumina HiSeq 2500. Ninety libraries containing variants at targeted limit of detection (5% allele frequency for SNV, Fusions, and Indels, and 4-5 copies for CNV) were prepared, sequenced, and analyzed using an internal analysis pipeline equivalent to the commercially available AVENIO Oncology Analysis Software. The total number of reads per sample were normalized across sequencers, and sequencing metrics and variant calls were compared. Results: The libraries that were prepared using the AVENIO Tumor Tissue Analysis Kits (For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures) and sequenced on the Nextseq 500 demonstrate sensitivities of >99% for SNVs, >99% for Indels, >99% for CNVs, and >99% for Fusions and >99% specificity for all variant types. We found that overall sensitivity and specificity performance were comparable when the samples were subsampled at the same level across the three Illumina platforms. Key sequencing metrics such as sequencing depth, on-target rate, error rate, and uniformity were also similar across the platforms. This study demonstrates that the high assay performance of the AVENIO Tumor Tissue Analysis Kits is consistent across multiple Illumina sequencing platforms. Citation Format: Isabel Soto, Lewyn Li, Cindy Choi, Garima Kushwaha, Jingchuan Li, Bosun Min, Laura Qin, Seng Salee, Liang Feng, Gregory Turenchalk, Jing Li. AVENIO Tumor Tissue Analysis Kits performance across Illumina sequencing platforms [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 755.

This study explored the college student's on-campus foodservice experiential components and investigated the interrelationships among customer experience, customer satisfaction, and actual behavior. A sample of 566 respondents was collected at a large, public university in the southwestern United States. Findings showed respondent's customer experience positively influenced customer satisfaction and, subsequently, customer satisfaction positively influenced respondent's actual behavior. However, there was no direct effect of customer experience on actual behavior. The findings indicate that on-campus foodservice operators should pay additional attention to customer experience and customer satisfaction to increase customer visits. Limitations of the study and future research are also addressed.

Background Dapsone is a commonly prescribed medication in dermatological practice. Its use is associated with a broad spectrum of adverse effects. Careful selection and monitoring of patients on dapsone are paramount in the prevention and early recognition of adverse effects. Objective and methods We designed a risk-management program for dapsone at National Skin Centre, Singapore, enhancing an existing electronic medical records system and harnessing a team approach involving the nurses. This includes the performance of key laboratory tests before and after starting dapsone, ensuring adequate counseling before starting dapsone and screening for adverse effects using a questionnaire every visit. Results This system of dapsone prescription efficiently improved the adherence to safe prescription and monitoring guidelines. Average adherence rates for key safety parameters improved from 61.4% pre-implementation to 95.3% at six months and were sustained at 12 months at 91.3%. Percentage of follow-up cases in which all three key monitoring parameters were fulfilled increased from 9.5% to 79.6% (p = 0.0001) after 12 months. The percentage of new patients in which all four key monitoring parameters were met increased from 50% to 80%. It was not statistically significant possibly because of small patient numbers. This project has also translated into enhanced patient safety with dapsone dosages adjusted in 17 patients who experienced mild adverse effects. No severe adverse effects to dapsone were observed in the 12-month period. Conclusion This example of risk management for dapsone may serve as a model for institutions looking at harnessing information technology and a team approach for safer prescription of high-alert medications.

This study aimed to identify differences in food quality, price, service, sanitation, and environment between a university-operated foodservice and an external foodservice contractor and to determine the relationship between customers' perceptions and satisfaction levels in these foodservice providers. Findings indicated that the importance level of food quality at the external foodservice contractor was higher than that at university-operated restaurant, but customers who went to the university-operated restaurant were highly satisfied with the food quality. The result also stressed the importance of food quality to overall satisfaction, more than other factors at both restaurants.

Introduction: Molecular profiling of tumor samples is becoming routine practice in the clinic, particularly for therapy selection. However, in some cases, tumor tissue is not available for testing. Liquid biopsy, which enables the analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) shed from the tumor into the blood, can be used as a surrogate for conventional tissue based testing to detect somatic mutations. Furthermore, ctDNA profiling can have potential applications in tumor burden monitoring. Some technical challenges must be overcome to accurately and sensitively detect the often low amount of ctDNA present in plasma. The AVENIO ctDNA Analysis Kits (Targeted, Expanded and Surveillance Kits; Research Use Only) were developed to sensitively detect all 4 major mutation classes: single nucleotide variants, insertions/deletions, fusions, and copy number variations, using a hybrid capture target enrichment workflow, molecular barcoding, and next generation sequencing. We previously presented a comprehensive study of 370+ samples demonstrating analytical performance of the assays on the Illumina NextSeq 500. As ctDNA based analysis becomes more prevalent in the clinical research community, there is great desire for high performing and cost-effective assays that are easy to implement and available across multiple sequencing platforms. Methods: We used the commercially available AVENIO ctDNA Analysis Kits (Expanded, Target and Surveillance Kits; Research Use Only) pre-sequencing workflow to process a panel of cell line blends and plasma-derived ctDNA samples in order to compare the performance of the assays on multiple Illumina sequencing platforms: NextSeq 500, HiSeq 4000 and HiSeq 2500. Ninety samples were tested across all platforms. The samples contain SNVs at 0.5% minor allele frequency (MAF), deletions at 1% MAF, selected fusions at 1% MAF, and MET amplification at 2.3 copies. Analysis was done using the AVENIO ctDNA analysis pipeline for all sequencing runs across the sequencing platforms. Results: On the NextSeq 500, the AVENIO ctDNA Analysis Kits achieve sensitivities of >99% for 0.5% SNVs, >99% for 1% deletions, >96% for 1% fusions, and >99% for 2.3 copies of MET amplification, with 96% to >99% specificity for all mutations. Similar performance is observed across additional Illumina platforms, HighSeq 4000 and HiSeq 2500. Across all platforms, key sequencing metrics are consistent to achieve required sequencing depths, on-target rates, and uniformity. Also, it is noted that in order to achieve required depths, each platform requires different levels of sample multiplexing. We demonstrated that the AVENIO ctDNA Analysis Kits achieve high sensitivity and specificity across multiple high throughput sequencing platforms. We also will highlight the key performance differences and considerations when performing the assay across these sequencing platforms. Citation Format: Jonathan Choi, Richard Dannebaum, Ashla Singh, Rob Foley, Jorge Dinis, Cindy Choi, Bosun Min, Jingchuan Li, Liang Feng, Fergal Casey, Janet Jin. Performance of the AVENIO ctDNA assays across multiple high-throughput next-generation sequencing platforms [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3648.

This study seeks to find: (a) the level and influence of support students receive to attend a graduate student research conference in hospitality and tourism, and (b) what they do as the next step with the research they present at the conference (publish, continue working on the project, or terminate research). A total of 110 attendees at the 14th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism in Las Vegas, Nevada were surveyed. There is a significant positive relationship between presenting a conference paper and later submitting journal publications, with doctoral students having more intention than master's students to publish the material they presented at the graduate conference.

Alga-derived lipids represent an attractive potential source of biofuels. However, lipid accumulation in algae is a stress response tightly coupled to growth arrest, thereby imposing a major limitation on productivity. To identify transcriptional regulators of lipid accumulation, we performed an integrative chromatin signature and transcriptomic analysis to decipher the regulation of lipid biosynthesis in the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Genome-wide histone modification profiling revealed remarkable differences in functional chromatin states between the algae and higher eukaryotes and uncovered regulatory components at the core of lipid accumulation pathways. We identified the transcription factor, PSR1, as a pivotal switch that triggers cytosolic lipid accumulation. Dissection of the PSR1-induced lipid profiles corroborates its role in coordinating multiple lipid-inducing stress responses. The comprehensive maps of functional chromatin signatures in a major clade of eukaryotic life and the discovery of a transcriptional regulator of algal lipid metabolism will facilitate targeted engineering strategies to mediate high lipid production in microalgae.

To elucidate the genetic bases of mycorrhizal lifestyle evolution, we sequenced new fungal genomes, including 13 ectomycorrhizal (ECM), orchid (ORM) and ericoid (ERM) species, and five saprotrophs, which we analyzed along with other fungal genomes. Ectomycorrhizal fungi have a reduced complement of genes encoding plant cell wall–degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), as compared to their ancestral wood decayers. Nevertheless, they have retained a unique array of PCWDEs, thus suggesting that they possess diverse abilities to decompose lignocellulose. Similar functional categories of nonorthologous genes are induced in symbiosis. Of induced genes, 7–38% are orphan genes, including genes that encode secreted effector-like proteins. Convergent evolution of the mycorrhizal habit in fungi occurred via the repeated evolution of a ‘symbiosis toolkit’, with reduced numbers of PCWDEs and lineage-specific suites of mycorrhiza-induced genes. This material is based on work conducted by the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, a DOE Office of Science User Facility, supported under contract no. DE-AC02-05CH11231. This work was also supported by the Laboratory of Excellence ARBRE (ANR-11-LABX-0002-01), the Genomic Science Program (Plant-Microbe Interactions project) funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research (contract DE-AC05-00OR22725), the Lorraine Region Council (to F.M.), US National Science Foundation grants DEB-1208719 and DEB-0933081 (both to D.S.H. and DEB-1021606 (to A.P.)), the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig (DFG FTZ 118) and the German Science Foundation (DFG, grant BU941/20-1) (to F.B.) and the Swedish Research Council (to A. Tunlid). This work was partly supported by the Laboratory of Excellence TULIP (ANR-10-LABX-41 and ANR-11-IDEX-0002-02). F.M. would like to acknowledge M.A. Selosse and B. Lindahl for helpful discussions.

The discovery of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and the development of highly sensitive technologies have made the utility of liquid biopsies in clinical practice more feasible. Potential applications for liquid biopsies include early cancer detection, tumor genotyping in the absence of tissue biopsies, disease monitoring, and identification of drug resistance markers. However, there is a multitude of technical challenges to accurately detect ctDNA with high sensitivity and reproducibility. Various methods have been established by research centers and companies, each with its advantages and limitations. We have developed a sensitive NGS-based liquid biopsy assay, called the AVENIO ctDNA Analysis Kits (research use only), which includes three panels targeting biomarkers for solid tumors. The AVENIO ctDNA Analysis Kits include cfDNA extraction from up to 5ml plasma input, optimized reagents and workflow for NGS library preparation and target enrichment. It is accompanied with an intuitive software and data analysis package to easily obtain results. The assay sensitively detects 4 cancer relevant mutation classes - single nucleotide variations (SNVs), insertions/deletions, copy number variations and structural rearrangements. We conducted a study with 200+ samples of plasma-derived cfDNA, cell line blends containing relevant cancer mutations, and clinical samples, with which we demonstrate the analytical sensitivity of the three distinct AVENIO gene panels (covering 17, 77 and 197 genes). We demonstrate >95% sensitivity for SNVs at 0.5% mutant allele frequency; >95% sensitivity for 1% indels; >95% sensitivity for 1% structural variants. We also demonstrate assay robustness through multiple replicates, day-to-day, and operator-to-operator reproducibility. In conclusion, the AVENIO ctDNA Analysis Kits for solid tumors encompasses a comprehensive assay and analysis workflow aimed to provide researchers with robust, reliable, highly sensitive and ease to use liquid biopsy assays to conduct the necessary studies to demonstrate the utility of circulating biomarkers in routine clinical testing. Citation Format: Jonathan Choi, Cindy Choi, Jorge Dinis, Jingchuan Li, Sean Chien, Bosun Min, Abraham Munoz, Janet Jin, Amrita Pati, Liang Feng, Johnny Wu, Ashla Singh, Fergal Casey. Performance of a robust and sensitive liquid biopsy workflow for mutation detection in plasma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5677. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5677

The subfamily of the Lemnoideae belongs to a different order than other monocotyledonous species that have been sequenced and comprises aquatic plants that grow rapidly on the water surface. Here we select Spirodela polyrhiza for whole-genome sequencing. We show that Spirodela has a genome with no signs of recent retrotranspositions but signatures of two ancient whole-genome duplications, possibly 95 million years ago (mya), older than those in Arabidopsis and rice. Its genome has only 19,623 predicted protein-coding genes, which is 28% less than the dicotyledonous Arabidopsis thaliana and 50% less than monocotyledonous rice. We propose that at least in part, the neotenous reduction of these aquatic plants is based on readjusted copy numbers of promoters and repressors of the juvenile-to-adult transition. The Spirodela genome, along with its unique biology and physiology, will stimulate new insights into environmental adaptation, ecology, evolution and plant development, and will be instrumental for future bioenergy applications., Spirodela, or duckweed, is a basal monocotyledonous plant with both pharmaceutical and commercial value. Here, the authors sequence the genome of Spirodela polyrhiza, suggesting its genome has evolved by neotenous reduction and clonal propagation, and provide a platform for future comparative genomic studies in angiosperms.

Dapsone is a commonly prescribed medication in dermatological practice. Its use is associated with a broad spectrum of adverse effects. Careful selection and monitoring of patients on dapsone are paramount in the prevention and early recognition of adverse effects.We designed a risk-management program for dapsone at National Skin Centre, Singapore, enhancing an existing electronic medical records system and harnessing a team approach involving the nurses. This includes the performance of key laboratory tests before and after starting dapsone, ensuring adequate counseling before starting dapsone and screening for adverse effects using a questionnaire every visit.This system of dapsone prescription efficiently improved the adherence to safe prescription and monitoring guidelines. Average adherence rates for key safety parameters improved from 61.4% pre-implementation to 95.3% at six months and were sustained at 12 months at 91.3%. Percentage of follow-up cases in which all three key monitoring parameters were fulfilled increased from 9.5% to 79.6% (p=0.0001) after 12months. The percentage of new patients in which all four key monitoring parameters were met increased from 50% to 80%. It was not statistically significant possibly because of small patient numbers. This project has also translated into enhanced patient safety with dapsone dosages adjusted in 17 patients who experienced mild adverse effects. No severe adverse effects to dapsone were observed in the 12-month period.This example of risk management for dapsone may serve as a model for institutions looking at harnessing information technology and a team approach for safer prescription of high-alert medications.

© 2015 Muraguchi et al.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The basidiomycete fungus Coprinopsis cinerea is an important model system for multicellular development. Fruiting bodies of C. cinerea are typical mushrooms, which can be produced synchronously on defined media in the laboratory. To investigate the transcriptome in detail during fruiting body development, high-throughput sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed using cDNA libraries strand-specifically constructed from 13 points (stages/tissues) with two biological replicates. The reads were aligned to 14,245 predicted transcripts, and counted for forward and reverse transcripts. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two adjacent points and between vegetative mycelium and each point were detected by Tag Count Comparison (TCC). To validate RNA-seq data, expression levels of selected genes were compared using RPKM values in RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR data, and DEGs detected in microarray data were examined in MA plots of RNA-seq data by TCC. We discuss events deduced from GO analysis of DEGs. In addition, we uncovered both transcription factor candidates and antisense transcripts that are likely to be involved in developmental regulation for fruiting.