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Research Article: 2019 Vol: 18 Issue: 1
Akinbode Mosunmola, Covenant University
Trust in e-commerce and most espically in online shopping is one of the most effective approach for reducing buyer’s uncertainity and which could serve as a key hinderance to online transactions. This study investigates the influence of perceived value dimensions (utilitarian and hedonic value) on trust, attitude, perceived risk and purchase intention in online shopping. The moderating role of individual culture (using masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance and individualism/collectivism) was assessed on the interaction between perceived value dimensions trust, perceived risk and purchase intention in online shopping. Data was collected from 558 undergraduate students who are constant users of online shopping. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to validate the reliability and validity of the study variables. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesised relationships. Results revealed that interaction of perceived value dimension and individual culture significantly affects trust, perceived risk and purchase intention to use online shopping. Findings from this study provided insights for managerial implications relevant for enhancing online shoppers trust with varying cultural values.
Perceived Value, Attitude, Trust, Perceived Risk, Online Purchase Intention, Online Shopping, Culture, E-Commerce.
Globalization and the evolution of the internet have facilitated the growth of e-commerce leading to the emergence and growth of on-line retail stores globally (Ramayah & Ignatius, 2005). The rapid rate of internet penetration espically through mobile devices have accelerated the usage of B2C e-commerce globally. Studies in e-commerce and on-line retailing have identified various characteristics and features of the Internet that positively affects consumer in the online shopping environment such as widespread availability of information, interactive experience, convenience, time saving, variety, cost savings and price comparison (Kim & Stoel, 2004; Khatibi et al., 2006; Harn et al., 2006; Shergill & Chen, 2005).
Despite this, many internet users avoid purchasing online due to privacy and security concerns informed by sending of personal information through the internet (Lian & Lin, 2008; Roca et al., 2009). This has made it very important in establishing trust in online shopping for the success and continuous growth of online retailing. Studies in the literature (Yoon, 2002; Tan & Guo, 2005; Cyr, 2008; Ganguly et al., 2010) have empirically shown that features and design of online shopping sites can be used to enhance trust on the platform of business to consumers ecommerce. But consumers’ need to view the online shopping sites features as it relates to their perceived value of functional, utilitarian and hedonic benefits.
With online retailing, organisations are operating in numerous countries and dealing with customers from different cultural background. Customers in different culture may have different levels of personal cultural values because culture differ in pattern of behaviour and attitude (Yoo & Donthou, 2001). Studies in the past such as that of Shaw-Ching et al. (2000), Singh et al. (2004), and Ganguly et al. (2010) have found that customers expectation for service quality and information search differs across cultural values. Currently, researchers studying consumer online behaviour are beginning to access the importance of national culture in influencing shoppers behaviour across countries as the influence of culture on individual online shopping intention is yet to be fully explored. This study fills this gap by assessing the role of three dimensions of the individual cultural values on online shoppers from a non-werstern context as against the five dimensions assessed in western culture.
Investigation into the literature further showed that limited scholarly work focued on the influence of consumers perceived value of online shopping features, attitude, trust, and perceived risk to intention to purchase online products as it relates to individual cultural values of online shoppers. This study is unique by examining the moderating effects of cultural values on key relationships (Perceived value-trust: attitude and trust-perceived risk) and contributing to current research on online shopping using the three dimensions of national culture (individualism/collectivism, uncertainity aviodance, and masculinity/feminity) as developed by Hofstede (2001).
The objectives of this study include: to identify factors that constitute consumers perceived value of online shopping features that affect trust and attitude, to test the role of cultural value dimensions in the relationship between perceived value of online shopping features, attitude and trust and to evaluate the role of trust and online perceived risk as it affects online purchase intention.
The theoretical framework for this study was adapted from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by Davis et al. (1989) has been used in most research studies relating to information systems adoption. Although this model was developed to explain and predict computer-usage behaviour in the work place, it has been empirically validated in determining ecommerce adoption and as a theoretical foundation in explaining on-line consumer behavour (Klopping & Mckinney, 2004; Lee et al., 2001). This study adopts TAM construct in the development of the study research framework.
In TAM, behavioral intention to adopt and use a new web technology is determined by the consumers’ attitude toward using such technology (Pavlou, 2003). Studies from the literature (Lim & Ting, 2012; Chang & Wang, 2011) have shown that persons confronted with any form of new technology or System will likely evaluate the perceived usefulness in relation to the outcome of the experience and also perceive ease of use in terms of the procedures of accomplishing the intended outcome before deciding whether or not to adopt the technology.
Recent studies (Wolfinbarger & Gilly, 2001; Childers et al., 2001; Menon & Kahn, 2002) in online shopping context have introduced the construct “playfulness” that is, shopping for fun (enjoyment) into their theoretical framework using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Reasoned Action model (TRA). Therefore, within the framework of TAM, both utilitarian dimension that is, perceptions of functional benefits (“ease of use”; “usefulness”) and hedonic dimension that is perceptions of emotional benefits (“playfulness”; “fun”) are basic antecedent of consumers’ attitude and intention to use new technology which can be applied in online shopping context.
E-commerce generally cuts across national boundaries and culture of the people and it has focused mainly on national level culture using Hofstede’s (1984:1991) framework where nations are treated with the notion that they share an identical culture and that greater culture value differences exist amongst countries than within countries. Scholarly argument in the literature have revealed that technology acceptance in form of online shopping by end-users should be on an individual-level basis as peoples’ cultural values are not necessarily shaped by national boundaries (Yoo & Donthou, 2002; Srite & Karahanna, 2006), but can be evaluated at the individual level of analysis with the use of personality test as identified by Tyler et al. (2000). It has also been augued that culture as a learned value varies across individuals, ethnic and religious groups and as such, it does not necessarily correspond to national boundaries (Yoo et al., 2001).
Studies in the literature have proven that Hofstede’s (1984:1991) dimension of nationlevel culture can be used in assessing individual cultural values as scholars in information system studies (Karahanna et al., 2005; Gallivan & Srite, 2005; McCoy et al., 2005) advocates for individual-level assessesment of cultural values. Also scholars in online consumer behaviour studies (Dash et al., 2009; Dash & Saji, 2006; Srite & Karahanna, 2006) have carried out an individual level analysis of cultural values as moderators on online shopping behaviour. This study adopts three dimensions (individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity/femininity) which are relevant to the purpose of this study out of the five dimensions (individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity/femininity and long-term orientation) of Hofstede’s (1984:2001) national culture typology to evaluate individual level cultural values on online consumers purchase intention. The different interactions proposed is depicted in the conceptual model of the study as shown in Figure 1.
Perceived Value of Online Store on Trust and Attitude
Review of related literature (Menon & Kahn, 2002; Gefen et al., 2003; Kim et al., 2008; Chang & Wang 2011; Lim & Ting 2012) in online shopping indicates that features of online store features are viewed from two consumer perspectives namely utilitarian and hedonic dimensions. Utilitarian consumers are activity motivated and rational in thinking, with shopping motive being directed by information and navigation design of the online store features. Perceived hedonic value is associated with enjoyment/entertainment and consumers online shopping motive will be directed to the visual designs of the online store features (Overby & Lee, 2006).
Studies from the literature (Liang & Lai, 2000; Tih & Ennis, 2006; Cyr, 2008) have shown that perceived utilitarian value in terms of online store information design, transaction and navigation design has an impact on shoppers’ attitude and perceived trust. According to the study of Lin & Liu (2000), the quality of a website determines the attitude of online shoppers. Information on online store websites have the capacity to generates trust and loyalty if the online shopper can perceive such information as been accurate, clear, relevant and current (Mithas et al., 2006; Aladwani & Palvia, 2002). Corritore et al. (2003) further argued that relevant information on online store website increases shoppers’ trustworthiness of the site.
Good navigation designs on online store increase the ease of browing through on the site for information relevant in making product decision by the shopper (Park & Kim, 2006). Cyr (2008), is of the opinion that online shoppers attitude towards online shopping may not be favourable if he/she encounters difficulty in accessing product and transactional information. Studies have shown that proper navigation saves shoppers time and reduce perceived risks thereby increasing the level of trust and generating a favourable attitude towards online shopping (Harridge, 2006; Yoon, 2002; Lim & Dubinsky, 2004). Thus, we propose the following:
H1a: Perceived utilitarian value of store features has a positive effect on trust in online shopping.
H1b: There is a positive effect of perceived utilitarian value of store features on attitude towards online shopping.
Perceived hedonic value of store features reflects the value of potential entertainment and enjoyment of playfulness derieved from the experience of online shopping. The visual design of the store features in form of the aesthetic beauty of the use of graphics, colours, and fonts improves the look and appearance of the site. This appeals to the emotions of the online shopper possibly influencing his shopping behaviour. Studies in the literature have shown that perceived visual design of store features has effects on the purchase intention of online shoppers (Karvonen, 2000; Cry, 2008). This shows that website usability is a function of the visual designs of an online store. Thus improving the quality of visual design can induce better usability of the store site leading to a reduction in uncertainties while enhancing shoppers trust in the site (Ganguly et al., 2010). Studies in the literature have found perceived enjoyment to be a strong determinant of attitude toward online shopping (Childers et al., 2001; Cry, 2008). Thus, we propose the following:
H2a: Perceived hedonic value of store features has a positive effect on trust in online shopping.
H2b: There is a positive effect of perceived hedonic value of store features on attitude towards online shopping.
Trust, Attitude and Perceived Risk in Online Shopping
In e-commerce, trust is highly important as it serves as one of the best approach in reducing buyers uncertainty and risk in online purchase (Reichheld & Schefter, 2000). Perceived risk increase in e-commmerce when consumers become uncertain about the outcome of their transaction (Stone & Gronhaug, 1993). As such,Trust significantly reduces the effect of perceived risk of the online consumer (Jarvenpaa et al., 2000; Pavlou, 2003; Harridge, 2006). Therefore, trust is indispensable for the reduction of perceived risk and uncertainties among online shoppers (Gefen, 2002). The higher the trust, the lower the perceived risk and the greater the favorable attitude towards online shopping. Thus we propose the following:
H3: Perceived trust in online store is positively related to attitude towards online shopping.
H4a: Higher perception of customer trust in the online store will result in lower perception of perceived risk in online shopping.
Trust, Perceived risk and Intention to use Online Shopping
Studies in the literature have shown that one of the major consequences of trust is intention to purchase/use a product or service (Kim & Kim, 2005; Suh & Han, 2003). Intention to purchase/use is the possibility of buying a products or engaging in online shopping. Empirical findings indicates that consumers’ perceived trust in online store positively impacts on the consumer online shopping intention (Qureshi et al., 2009). These have been supported by several studies who found that the higher the perceived trust in online site the higher the intention to purchase/use (Gefen et al., 2003; Salam et al., 2005; D’Alessandro et al., 2012) and that there is a significant positive effect of trust on intention to use online shopping (Chang and Chen, 2008).
Many studies have examined the influence of perceived risk across e-commerce activities and found that perceived risk has a negative influence on online intention to use/purchase (Grazioli & Jarvenpaa, 2000; Choi & Lee, 2003; Bart et al., 2005; Aldás-Manzano et al., 2009). Thus we propose the following:
H4b: There is a positive effect of perceived trust in online store on intention to use online shopping.
H4c: Higher perception of perceived risk in online shopping will result in lower intention to use online shopping.
Consumer Attitude to Intention
Behavioral models have revealed that, consumer’s attitudes will affect intention to shop and actual online purchase (Harridge, 2006; Qureshi et al., 2009; Ganguly et al., 2010). This can only happen when consumers adopts the internet as a shopping channel and their attitude towards a specific internet store can be measured (Jahng et al., 2001). Thus we propose the following:
H5: Attitude to online store is positively related to intention to use online shopping.
Culture, Perveiced Value and Trust
Three cultural dimensions (individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity/femininity) out of the five national level cultural dimensions of Hofstede’s (1984:1991) was used to examine the influence of individual cultural values on online shopping.
Masculine values focuses on work goals, assertiveness, and success as opposed to feminine values which emphasize quality of ones goals. Hofstede (1991) identified that people of high masculinity are characterized with the need for achievement, money and performance.
Studies on cultural values and advertising indicate that customers who exhibit masculinity features give more importance to product information cues used for assessing the product quality and that facilitate product comparisons (Tai & Chan, 2001). This shows that product information on online retail website is needed for comparing alternatives on the basis of price, product features and benefits offferd by each product which serves as decision making aid on online stores (Ranganathan & Ganapathy, 2002). Consequently, it is expected that online shoppers who exhibit masculine cultural values will place higher emphasis on information design when assessing an online store website than shoppers who display feminine cultural values. Thus, this leads to the following hypothesis:
H6a: Masculinity positively moderates the relationship between perceived utilitarian value and trust such that the relationship is stronger for shoppers with masculine cultural values.
Uncertainty avoidance is defined as the degeree at which an individual feel threatened by unknown situation or uncertainities (Hofstede, 1991). This indicates the way people respond to changing situations in their daily activity (Hofstede, 1984). This is reflected via anxiety, predictability of occurrence of events and responsiveness to rules. Cyr (2008) confirmed in his study that customers with high uncertainty avoidance attach high level of importance to website design that generates trust on online stores. According to Hofstede (1984) people emanating from culture high with uncertainty avoidance have low tolerance for ambiguity and uncertain situations. Empirical findings from the literature have supported this notion that people who are risk averters are characteristerised with high level of uncertainty avoidance which indicates their high resistance to using the internet services (Nath and Murthy, 2004). This raises the need for online retailers to focus on building and enhancing shoppers trust in online stores espically for customers with high uncertainty avoidance culture in other to minimise high rate of perceived risk involved in online usuage. Thus, we propose the following:
H6b: Uncertainty avoidance will positively moderates the relationship between perceived utilitarian value for navigation design on store website and trust such that the relationship is stronger for shoppers with higher uncertainty avoidance value.
H6c: Uncertainty avoidance will positively moderates the relationship between perceived trust and risk such that the relationship is stronger for shoppers with higher uncertainty avoidance value.
Relates to people intergrated into strong, cohesive groups. (Hofstede, 1991). In individualistic culture, social behaviour is predominantly intiated by individual goals, while in collectivistic culture, the collective goal of the group dominant and shape the behaviour of the individual in the group (Triandis, 1989). This means that people with individualistic cultural values are not compelled to the opinion of others while people with collectivistic cultural values are subjected to the views of their social class.
Relating to the research model, perceived hedonic values is associated with emotional benefits shoppers will derive from the visual designs of the online store. Scholars are of the opinion that the collectivism or individualistic culture of consumers is a determining factor on their preference for visual designs and intention to purchase. According to Sun (2001), consumers from collectivistic culture attach more importance to visuals design, whereas consumers who are prone to individualistic culture have strong preference for datialed and structured designs. Thus, consumers from a collectivism culture will be more receptive to visual design culminating to trust than individualitic consumers. This was supported by the study of Cyr (2008), whose findings revealed that individuals from collectivism culture gave more attention to visua designs which resulted in enhanced their trust in online stores than those from individualistic culture.
In collectivistic society, individuals are members of groups where greater importance is attached to collective goals, and concern about the group interests takes greater priority (Gong et al., 2007). Therefore, we posit that individuals who display individualistic cultural values will require more trust from the online retailer inother to engage in online shopping and purchase. Hence, we propose the following:
H6d: Collectivism will positively moderates the relationship between perceived hedonic value for online store features and trust.
H6e: Collectivism will negatively moderates the relationship between trust and purchase/use intention.
Descriptive survey is the research method used in this study. A total of 650 questionnaires were purposeively distributed to undergraduate students at Covenant University who are regular online shoppers. Inother to ensure proper identification of students who have actually shopped online, respondents were asked two major questions: whether they engaged in online shopping and that they should indicate the on-line store(s) they have visited in the last 6 months. A total of 580 students completed and returned the self-administered questionnaire out of which 558 was considered valid and used for the data analysis. Student sample was deemed appropriate for this study because research in this area has shown that online shoppers are primarily consist of teenages, youth and young adult between the ages of 15-45 and they constitute about 75% of online shoppers (Ganguly et al., 2010). Furthermore, this age group represent the students community who are heavy users of the internet and have continuous internet access from their institutions which are used for online shopping hence, this qualifies them to participate in the study.
The scales for the study constructs in the questionnaire were modified to fit this study from previously tested instruments in the context of e-commerce. Perceived utilitarian and hedonic value were adapted from Cyr (2008), Overby & Lee’s (2006) and Babin et al. (1994).
The scale developed by Chellappa (2008) was used to measure trust while attitude scale was chosen from Chau & Hu (2002). The scales for perceived risk was taken from Chan & Lu (2004) and purchase intention from Suh & Han (2003). The scale for measuring culture at the individual level was adopted from previous studies which has shown adequate validity and reliability relationship with their relevant variables (Donthu and Yoo’s, 1998; Yoo et al., 2001; Yoo & Donthu, 2002; Dash et al., 2009). The research questionnaire for this study comprises of 5-point Likert-scale questions. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the reliability and validity of the study construct. Structural equation model was used to test the study hypothesis.
Frequency distribution of sampled respondents in Table 1, showed both gender was represented in the study with the Male gender having the highest percentage of 70.4% and female respondents comprise of 29.6%. respectively. The analysis on respondent’s age indicates that majority of the respondents (95.9%), are between the ages of 15-24years. This result supports the trend in the literature which reports that majority of the online shoppers are within the younger age groups as they are more responsive and innovative to technological advancement (Ganguly et al., 2010). Analysis of respondent’s educational background reveals that majority of the respondent (79.9%) have a basic certificate which shows that the respondent are literate and thus could engage in online shipping activities.
Frequency Distribution Of Respondents
|Demographic Categories||Frequency||Percent||Cumulative Percent|
|Do you engage in online shopping||Yes||558||100||100|
|Which of the online store do you visit||Jumia||338||60.6||60.6|
|Product type shopped online||Clothing||281||50.4||50.4|
|Device used to shop online||Laptop||295||52.9||52.9|
|How long have you been shopping online||Less then 1yr||198||35.5||35.5|
Analysis of respondents online shopping behaviour revealed the following as indicated in Table 1. All the respondents (100%, n= 558) engage in online shopping which made them eligible to participate in the study. Analysis on the online store visited by the respondents revealed that majority of them (60.6%) visit jumia store. This is because jumia online store gives users the option of paying on delivery thereby reducing the perceived risk of financial loss and increasing the element trust in the store. Analysis on respondents choice of device used for online shopping revealed that laptops (52.9%) and Ipads (36.2) were mostly used by the respondents.
Analysis on how long respondents have been shopping online revealed that majority of the respondents have spent less than 4years shopping online. This shows that respondents will have an in-depth knowledge on the subject matter as they constitute key informant in the study.
Reliability Assessment and Exploratory Factor Analysis
To assess the reliability of research construct, internal consistency of measures were assessed with the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and exploratory factor analysis For this study, the cronbach’s alpha coefficients were all above the threshold of 0.70 as recommended by (Hair et al., 2003). This shows that the studyconstructs all have adequate internal consistency.
The results of the EFA as shown in Table 2 were all above the recommended value of 0.5 (Byrne, 2001). The results of the factor loadings and the reliability scale for the three cultural constructs used in this study support existing research studies that have assessed the individual level of the cultural dimension (Yoo et al., 2001; Yoo & Donthu, 2001:2002; Ganguly et al., 2010). This indicates that this study confirms three out of the five Hofstede’s dimensions of culture at the individual level. From Table 2, the result of exploratory factor analysis shows 0.925 KMO (Kasier Meyer Olkin) value for all the variables, which does not exceed 1.0 value and is above 0.6 as recommended by (Byrne, 2001). Therefore this result signifies an appropriate factor analysis value for the study.
Exploratory Factor Analysis
|Percentage of Variance Explained||Alpha
|I am able to find Product information online||0.708||11.026 31.130 0.880|
|I am able to accomplish shopping goals quickly||0.753|
|I am able to compare prices online||0.726|
|I can easily surf the website to shop online||0.747|
|Online store provides navigational search content||0.713|
|I find online shopping sites easy to use||0.669|
|Hedonic Value (HV)||I enjoy shopping online||0.785||3.287||3.287||0.813|
|Shopping online gives me more pleasure||0.739|
|I get excited when shopping online||0.660|
|Trust (TR)||I am confident when transacting online||0.761||2.043||5.521||0.853|
|I feel safe when transacting on online store||0.807|
|I confident in online store that provides security measures||0.747|
|Attitude (ATTD)||I find it desirable shopping onlibe||0.645||2.010||4.604||0.812|
|I like to shop online for product offers||0.733|
|Perceived Risk (PR)||I am assured of the reliability to shop online||0.636||1.845||4.487||0.876|
|My personal information cannot be hampered with on online store||0.755|
|I have confidence that my oders will be delivered on time||0.729|
|I am confident that I will receive quality service when I shop online||0.764|
|I believe that adequate security has been provided for my transaction on online store||0.658|
|Purchase Intention (PI)||I intend to make frequent purchases on online store||0.659||1.612||4.356||0. 850|
|I plan to continue to shop online||0.787|
|I will likely serach online store for more product information||0.766|
|Masculinity (MAS)||Men require active approach in solving difficult problems than women.||0.689||1.272||3.439||0.842|
|Men are better off on some jobs than women.||0.774|
|Men adopt logical analysis in problem solving while women uses intuition.||0.712|
|Having a professional career for men is more important than for women.||0.669|
|Uncertainty Avoidance (UA)||Following instructions and procedures are necessary for accomplishment of tasks||0.723||1.194||3.226||8.887|
|Work procedures are helpful||0.762|
|Detailed instruction are important for execution of activities||0.760|
|Organizational structure are needed within a work environment||0.743|
|Provision for innovativesnnes at work place is important||0.636|
|Collectivism (CO)||Loyality to a group is beneficial than individual gain||0.760||1.121||3.030||0.872|
|Group success is more important than
|Sticking together as a group
during difficulties pays off.
|The goal of the group superseds that of the individual||0.799|
Note: KMO Measure of Sampling Adequacy=0.925; p=0.0000 (p<0.05); df=666; Cumulative Percentage of Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings=68.678%.
The discriminant and convergent validity of the study constructs were confirmed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The results of goodness of fit indices for CFA is shown in Table 3 below. The factor measurement model consist of six online shopping constructs and three cultural constructs which shows an acceptable fit indices as they all exceeded the recommended threshold (Hair et al., 2003).
Fitness Measure For Measurement Model
Based on result of the measurement model in Table 3, it is considered that the model demonstrates dequate fitness, and that the data used for this study supports the theoretical model which provides a platform for the assessment of the structural model.
In testing the convergent validity, standardized factor loadings, Average Variance Extracted (AVEs) and Composite Reliability (CR) was assessed. Finidngs was supported as the Average Variance Extracted (AVEs) exceeded the recommended value of 0.5, Composite Reliability (CR) exceeded the threshold of 0.7 and were greater than the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values (Chin, 1998; Byrne, 2001). Discriminant validity was assured as the square root of the AVE for a particular construct (shown on the diagonal of each constructs) should be larger than the correlations between it and the other constructs (Hair et al., 2003). This was achieved as all values on the diagonal constructs in Table 4 is higher than the correlations between it and the other constructs. Discriminant validity was also confirmed as the AVE values were higher than shared variance for all constructs (MSV and ASV) (Byrne, 2001; Hair et al., 2003). Findings from the reliability and validity test (Table 4) of the study constructs displayed meaningful relationships with relevant variables.
Convergent And Discriminant Validity
Key: MF=Masculinity-Feminity, UV=Utilitarian value, HV=hedonic value, ATTD=Attitude, PR=Percieved risk,
PI=Purchase intention, CO=Collectivism, UA=Uncertainty Avoidance.
Note: The square root of the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) are represented on the diagonal of the constructs.
Results of Test of Research Hypothesis
The study model indicating result of the structural path with the path coefficients and significance levels are presented in Figure 2. The result showed that perceived utilitarian value and hedonic value of store features have positive significant effect on trust in online shopping with standardized coefficient of 0.403 and 0.248. Perceived hedonic value of store features have significant effect on online shopping attitude with a standardized coefficient of 0.703 while perceived utilitarian value does not have a significant effect on attitude towards online shopping (standardized coefficient of 0.067). Perceived utilitarian value of store features was found to have the strongest effect on trust therby becoming a major factor in building online shopping trust, while perceived hedonic value was found to have the strongest effect on attitude towards online shopping.
As shown in Figure 2, trust indicates a significant effect on attitude and purchase intention with standardized coefficient of 0.201 and 0.242. Perceived risk indicated a significant negative effect on purchase intention with a standardized coefficient of -0.496 while Attitude towards online shopping showed a significant positive effect on purchase intention with a standardized coefficient of 0.321. Thus, all the hypotheses raised in this study were supported (H1a, H2a, H2b, H3,H4a, H4b and H5) except hypothesis H1b which was not supported.
Test for Moderator Effects of Culture
The moderation analysis results showed that cultural variables that is masculinity, collectivism and uncertainty avoidance have significant effects on trust with standardized coefficient value of 0.195, 0.082 and 0.189 (Table 5). The result of the moderating effect of cultural variables on the interaction between online shopping variables showed that masculinity and uncertainty avoidance positively moderates the relationship between perceived utilitarian value and trust with standardized coefficient value of 0.283 and 0.205 (Table 5) while collectivism negatively moderates the relationship between perceived hedonic value and trust with standardized coefficient value of -0.084. Hypotheses H6a and H6b were supported and H6d rejected.
Moderation Effects Of Culture Dimensions On Perceived Value And Trust
|Variables||Standardized coefficients||P-value (significance)|
|ZTrust ZUncertainty avoidance||0.189||***|
Key: MF=Masculinity-Feminity, CO=Collectivism-Individualism, UA=Uncertainty Avoidance.
Note: *p<0.05; ***P<0.001.
The moderation result of interactions of cultural dimensions on perceived risk and purchase intention are reflected in Table 6. The result showed that uncertainty avoidance and collectivism have significants effects on perceived risk and purchase intention with standardized coefficient value of 0.369 and 0.208. The interaction of trust and uncertainity avoidance reveals a non significant moderating effect on perceived risk with standardized coefficient value of 0.001. This indicates that uncertainity avoidance do not moderate the relationship between trust and perceived risk rejecting hypotheses H6c. The interaction between trust and collectivism reveals a negative effect on purchase intention with standardized coefficient value of -0.126. This indicates that collectivism negatively moderates the relationship between trust and purchase intention which supports hypotheses H6e.
Moderation Effects Of Culture Dimensions On Perceived Risk
|Variables||Standardized coefficients||P-value (significance)|
|ZPR ZUncertainty avoidance||0.369||***|
Key: PR=Perceived risk, PI=Purchase Intention, CO=Collectivism-Individualism, UA=Uncertainty Avoidance.
Findings from this study indicate that there is significant relationship between perceived value (utilitarian and hedonic value) of store features and trust in online shopping. This finding is similar with previous studies (Tih & Ennis, 2006; Cyr, 2008) who identified that perceived utilitarian value (such as online store information design/processing and navigation design) positively impacts on shoppers’ trust. This finidngs also supports the works of Mithas et al. (2006), Aladwani & Palvia (2002) and Song & Zahedi (2001), who emphasized that access to information on online stores can only generate trust if the shopper perceives such information to be accurate, relevant, clear and current to its need. Studies in the literature (Xing & Grant, 2006; Lim & Dubinsky, 2004) revealed that proper navigation (which is an element of utilitarian value) on store sites saves shoppers time and helps to generate a favourable attitude towards online shopping. But findings in this study relating to perceived utilitarian value and attitude yeidled a contrary resut as there was no siginifcant influence of perceived utilitarian value on attitude towards online shopping. This Studies in the literature (Karvonen, 2000; Cry, 2008) have shown that perceived hedonic visual design of online stores has positive effects on consumers trust on such stores which has been supported by this study. This emphasizes that online shoppers are attracted to the asthetic beauty of an online store which attracts and induce better usability of the site thereby reducing ambiguities and increasing trust in the site as a result of continuous usage and pleasure derieved from visual design of such site (Ganguly et al., 2010). Also findings of this study indicates perceived hedonic value has significant positive effect on attitude towards online shopping. This finding supports that of Childers et al. (2001) who found that enjoyment (which is an element of hedonic value) has positive effect on attitude toward online shopping.
Findings in this study on trust as predictors of attitude, purchase intention and perceived risk corroborates with that of previous reserachers in the literature. In this study, trust was found to have positive significant effect on attitude and purchase intention. This findings supports previous researchers (Bloemer & Odekerken, 2002; Harridge, 2006; Qureshi et al., 2009; Ganguly et al., 2010) who argued and found that perceived trust on online stores positively influence attitude and purchase intention. This finding points out the positive effect of trust on purchase intention which indicate that increase in consumers trust of online shopping leads to increase in purchase intention (Childers et al., 2001; Bart et al., 2005; D’Alessandro et al., 2012).
The findings on the significant negative effect of trust on perceived risk reveals that the higher the perception of customer trust in online store the lower the perceived risk envisaged by the online shopper. This is supported by previous studies (Jarvenpaa et al., 2000; Pavlou, 2003; Harridge, 2006; Ganguly et al., 2010) who found that consumers with higher trust in online store have lower perceived risk when using online shopping. This finding emphasis the importance of trust in e-commerce as an indispensable element which helps in reducing perceived risk and uncertainties experienced by online shoppers (Jarvenpaa et al., 2000).
Finding from this study on the influence of perceived risk on purchase intention revealed a negative relationship. This findings corroborates previous studies (Grazioli & Jarvenpaa, 2000; Choi & Lee, 2003; Aldás-Manzano et al., 2009; Ganguly et al., 2010) in identifying a negative relationship between perceived risk and online purchase intention . This indicates perceived risk as a major limitation to online shopping. This is because shoppers become hesistant in engaging in online purchase once privacy risk and security risk are perceived.
The moderating role of culture was also assessed on the interaction between perceived value variables and trust, and between trust, perceived risk, and purchase intention. The findings showed that Masculinity, uncertainity avoidance and collectivism significantly moderates the relationship between percerviced value (utilitarian and hedonic value) and trust. Specifically the results of the interaction effect of culture on perceived value factors and trust show that masculinity and uncertainity avoidance are two cultural dimensions that positively moderates the interaction between utilitarian value and trust while the interaction between hedonic value and trust was negatively moderated by collectivism. This finidngs supports the study of Ganguly et al. (2010) who identified positive moderation of masculinity on the interaction between perceived utilitarian value and trust. From this finding, it is expected that consumers who are high on masculinity expects the online store to be very interactive and informative as they pay more importance to information design when assessing online stores compared to shoppers who dislay femine cultural values. This has been supported by previous studies (Tai & Chan, 2001; Ganguly et al., 2010) who identified that shoppers possessing masculinity traits place more preference on information cues in building perceived utilitarian value and trust in online store.
The finding of this study on uncertainity avoidance moderating the relationship between perceived utilitarian value and trust, corrobates with findings from previous studies (Lim et al., 2004; Cyr, 2008) who identified that attention is given more to navigational issues by customers who are high on uncertainty avoidance as a possible means of building online trust. This is so because shoppers with strong uncertainity avoidance culture exhibit anxiety and have minimal tolerance for uncertain situation as such, perceived ease of navigating and access to product information on online store help to reduce anxiety and create trust in online shopping (Singh et al., 2005). However, this study revealed that a non moderating effect of uncertianity avoidance on the interaction between trust and online perceived risk which support the study of Ganguly et al. (2010).
Result from this study indicated that the interaction between perceived hedonic value and trust was negatively moderated by Collectivism. This finding negates that of Cyr (2008), who identified that collectivism positively moderates the interaction of hedonic value and trust. The finding from this study reveals that there could be other issues influencing individual trust from collectivism culture as perceived henoic values relates to individual emotional attachment to online store visual designs as these might not be sufficient enough to induce trust in online shopping. Similarly, result from this study indicated that the interaction between trust and online purchase intention was negatively moderated by collectivism. This supports the study of Ganguly et al. (2010). This implies that consumers with collectivism culture require less focus in building trust to engage in online shopping because individual decisions are made from the opinion of the collective groups interest compared to consumers with individualistic cultural values who will reuire more trust from the online store to engage in online shopping. As such, the negative relationahip of collectivism on the interaction between trust and purchase intention will be stronger for consumers who display individualistic cultural value.
This study provides support for the hypothesis raised that utilitarian and hedonic value as dimensions of perceived value influences shoppers trust, attitude and online-shopping intentions. It was also identified that trust constitute an important element in online shopping which is used to reduce uncertainity, perceived risk and determine purchase intention.
The moderating role of individual cultural values on the interactions between perceived utilitarian/hedonic value, trust, perceived risk and purchase intention in consumers online shopping experience were assessed. The result showed that the individual cultural values (uncertainity avoidance, masculinity and collectivism) moderate the interaction of consumers perceived value, trust, attitude, perceived risk and online shopping intentions.
By adopting Yoo et al. (2001) individual cultural value scale, this study extends and make contributions to theoretical knowledge and provides practitioners implications in the following ways.
The findings of this study provides guidelines for building online store features as it relates to the perceived value of the consumer, the need for security and privacy protection and the influence of individual shoppers cultural values. Online retailers must understand the key place of trust in online shopping and how it affects perceived risk and purchase intention. Consumers concern for security and information privacy must be assured in other to build trust in e-commerce and ensure continous engagemet in online shopping. Online retailers should ensure that their online store features is comprised of information, visual and navigating designs that are interactive in nature, capable of spurring and building online shoppers trust, influencing attitude positively and enhancing purchase intention to use online shopping.
Decisions on adopting a standardized or localized marketing programs for online retailers can be based on individual cultural value segmentation across all target markets (countries) instead of country-level segmentation. Adoting the individual cultural value segmentation help the online retailer to adopts standardized marketing programs (global product, promotion, pricing and delivery management) to markets in different countries having similar customer culural values which ensure wider reach while optimisimg the resources available.
Online retailers serving customers who are high on uncertainty avoidance cultural value place should more preference to navigating features in other to have ease access to intended information in other to enhance customers trust in their online stores. Online retailers selling to customers with high masculinity cultural value should provide detailed and personalized information to shopper as they give preference to information cues for evaluating and making assertive decisions among substitutes. Extra effort and attention should also be given in designing the online store for more interactive features necessary for ensuring that shoppers have a positive and secured experience.
Some limitations were identified in this study which includes; the use of only perceived value dimensions as factor influencing trust and attitude among other factors such as site reputation, referrals, customer service, delivery process as identified in the literature. Other studies can assess the influence of other antecedents of trust and attitude in online shopping. This would serve as future research areas. Also, this study assessed only the moderating effect of three out of the five cultural values of Hofstede (2001). Future study can assess the effect of the other two cultural dimensions (power distance and lont term orientation ) on factors affecting online shopping.

domain: literature


text:
In Search of SasquatchSasquatch, also known as Bigfoot, is considered a cryptid--a creature of cryptozoology. What is cryptozoology? According to author and cryptozoologist Loren Coleman, it is the study of creatures not formally recognized by traditional science. It is the quest to understand eyewitness observations that simply cannot be proven via ordinary channels. Coined by French-born zoologist Dr. Bernard Heuvelmans in the 1960s, the term "cryptozoology" is based on the Greek word "kryptos," which means "hidden." It's a perfect definition for a sometimes imperfect set of scientific goals. Why imperfect? Because "hidden" animals are hard to find, hard to believe ...
A classic tale with a timeless message gets a hugely hilarious twist.He’s big. He’s funny. He’s not real. Or IS he? This clever twist on “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is told from the point of view of an unexpected narrator and, through snappy text and lighthearted illustrations, demonstrates the value of telling the truth, the importance of establishing trust, and (of course!) the possibility that a beast you created to get attention can become a real-life friend.
Bigfoot Horror master, Eric S. Brown, returns with an adaptation of Great Lake Films' The Bloody Rage of Bigfoot. Like a 1970s Marvel horror comic, The Bloody Rage of Bigfoot blends action and horror as two witches and the world's leading Sasquatch expert seek vengeance and attempt to stop the legendary monster's latest killing spree
Evolution is about to be kicked in the teeth by some very large feet.When Harrison Kent suggests a camping trip to the dense woods of Colorado, his friends are all for a little adventure. What awaits them, though, is far more than they ever bargained for. They discover that Sasquatch is real; however, these are not the shy creatures of legend. A madness has claimed them, one which has erased their once-peaceful nature and left in its place an unstoppable horde of ravenous monsters.Now Harrison, his friends, and the unsuspecting residents of a remote town find themselves in a fight for their lives against the bloodthirsty beasts...a fight that they're ill-equipped to win. But the woods hold more than one secret. There are other forces at play. If they can survive long enough, they might just be able to even the odds.It's primal fury versus a whole lot of bullets in a battle to determine once and for all who is the hunter and who is the hunted.************ Bigfoot Hunters is 90,000 words of graphic Horror Adventure (mature audiences only) by Rick Gualtieri, author of Bill The Vampire and Scary Dead Things. Includes the bonus short story, Zombie Pride, by Thea Isis Gregory.

domain: entertainment


text:
riverbend real estate
Profiled above are the last twelve month real estate statistics for the Riverbend community in Calgary; including number of properties listed, number of properties sold, median asking prices, and median sold prices. To view current Riverbend Real Estate listings for sale, click here.
Riverbend: Where Scenic Beauty meets Community Spirit
Riverbend owes its name to its picturesque location near a graceful bend in the Bow River. Established in 1982, this relatively new community boasts three distinct landscapes—floodplain, escarpment, and upland plain—offering captivating views of the Rocky Mountains and serene wooded flood plains.
Riverbend enjoys strategic proximity to major Calgary roadways such as Glenmore Trail, Barlow Trail, and Deerfoot Trail, providing seamless access to the city’s pathway system and the scenic Bow River. Residents revel in the abundance of green spaces that offer ample opportunities for recreation and leisure.
Riverbend Community Newsletter
Riverbend residents are actively engaged in their community and keeping them informed is our top-priority. Riverbend Connects is the official community newsletter, and covers community news and is published monthly to keep content current and relevant. Delivered to every household, apartment, and business, every resident is acquainted with the community’s most important information.

domain: geography


text:
Back in 2011, for the TVB Anniversary, Linda Chung (鍾嘉欣) sported a Tinkerbell inspired white silky gown for it’s red carpet. With her curled long hair slightly dyed red, she completed the look with a red lip, creating an overall glamorous look. Recently, in April, for the 2nd Beijing International Film Festival, Hong Kong model Angelababy strolled the red carpet in a similar evening gown. With her hair pulled up in a bun and her lips a nude pink, she resembled a model on the runway. Unlike Linda who chose big-sized dangling gold earrings, Angelababy paired the evening gown with a simple, yet elegant diamond necklace.
Jue: Can’t help but feel that this gown suits Angelababy’s sweetness and Linda’s innocence. It’s elegant with a young vibe.
Both actresses pulled off the look well. It’s a matter of personal preference whether you’ll want a red lip and glamourous hair like Linda or something simple, refreshing, and sleek like Angelababy. Which do you prefer?

domain: celebrity


Today's Top Transfer Stories
The Sun: Manchester United boss David Moyes is eyeing up a stunning swoop for Spurs winger Andros Townsend.
Daily Mirror: Manchester City are in talks with Porto over a £46million double deadline day deal for Eliaquim Mangala and Fernando. Full Story
Metro: Arsenal’s hopes of landing Julian Draxler on deadline day hang in the balance - with widespread reports they’ve reached deadlock with Schalke over the fee - so Mirolslav Klose is now being linked with a move to the Emirates. Full Story
Daily Mail: Cardiff City have made an enquiry for Cagliari defender Davide Astori. Full Story
Daily Mirror: West Ham are set to hijack Fulham’s £12.4million swoop for Olympiacos goal machine Kostas Mitroglou. Full Story
Telegraph: Dimitar Berbatov’s agent has stationed himself in London in an attempt to seal a transfer deadline day return to Tottenham for the striker. Full Story
Metro: Tottenham have joined Inter Milan in the race to sign Manchester United winger Nani on loan for the rest of the season. Full Story
Confirmed deals: Click here to see all the deals from the January transfer window.


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Just in time for the busy holiday season, everyone’s favorite digital bulletin board has some great new features that are already live or will be soon. Here are seven awesome new Pinterest features you can use for your small business:
1. Native Video
Yup, Pinterest is on the video bandwagon and has been slowly rolling out native video features for its users, two of which are profiled below. (Currently, you can Pin videos from other platforms, but you can’t create videos within Pinterest.) More video features will definitely be coming down the pike.
2. Cinematic Pins
Earlier this year, Pinterest introduced a video feature called Cinematic Pins. They’re activated via scrolling, look much like GIFs (aka, they’re super short), and can be used for Promoted Pins.
3. Promoted Video
In the “not available to everyone just yet” category:
Promoted Video works just like Cinematic Pins, but users can expand the video, view in a new tab, and see relevant products listed below. They be can up to five minutes long; you’ll be charged by impression. (Currently, this feature is only available to those brands working with a Pinterest account team.)
4. Promoted App Pins
In the “coming soon” category:
Pinterest offers six types of rich pins that allow you to add additional information. One of them is the App Pin, which lets you promote your brand’s app to users. Soon you’ll be able to promote App Pins (you’ll be charged on a cost-per-action, or CPA, basis).
Better, more refined features
5. Sharing: Want to share a Pin, board, or profile? Now you have a few more options: Facebook Messenger, Whats App, and text message.
6. Home feed: When you log into Pinterest, you’re now taken to your feed (instead of your own profile). You can easily refine your feed by removing profiles or subjects (look for the “Finetune your feed” prompt).
7. Picked for You: To help you find more of what interests you, Pinterest includes “Picked for You” Pins in your feed. Not interested? You can turn this feature off from your home feed settings menu.
Are you excited about these new features? How will they benefit your small business’s Pinterest marketing?
Visit Web.com to learn about our full range of affordable website design and online marketing services.

domain: hobby


text:
The medieval architecture of Loreto Aprutino, with its courtyards and palaces, can perfectly illustrate many aspects of human history and work in the land that was called, in the past, Vestine area.
In recent archaeological excavations carried out in Loreto Aprutino, specifically in the area of Fiorano, have come to light many remains of “Trapetum” (olive oil mill) from the Roman period, as described by Catone “il Censore” and Plinio “il Vecchio”.
This testifies the purely agricultural vocation of the Loreto’s inhabitans and especially the wise art of producing an excellent extra-virgin olive oil.
For these reasons the olive tree is depicted on the coat of arm of the City. It is the proof that the olive trees are the peculiar element of Loreto Aprutino landscape and the emblem of its economy.
The best climatic conditions, a hot summer and a mild winter, with the right rainfall, have always favored the cultivation of the olive trees on the hills in Loreto Aprutino area, building over the centuries a great knowledge for the farmers.
In 1574 A.D. the Dominican Father Serafino Razzi, passing in our country, wrote about our territory as “…very disciplinable and plentiful of precious olive oil”.
The historians say that is the same “precious olive oil” that the Loretesi began to sell in other regions (the Papal States, Naples, Mantova) riding on mules and horses, already in the first years of the 1500’s AD.

domain: agronomy


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PEOPLE IN FASHION
LOOK OF THE DAY
Saint James Paris: Decadent Luxury of the Iconic Château Hotel
If you are looking for the most decadent, honeymoon–worthy hotel room in Paris, let us narrow the field: a prestige suite...
Kube Hotel Paris: A modern gem for thrill seekers with an in-house ice bar
Kube Hotel Paris is part of Machefert Hotels Collection, a family hotel group with properties in Paris, Saint-Tropez and Marrakech....
LAZ’ Hotel Spa Urbain Paris: Super-cool and sublimely Parisian
LAZ' Hotel Spa Urbain Paris in the Saint Lazare district is a contemporary boutique hotel that on its surface seems to be aiming...
Fashionela’s Guide to Paris 2018: Hotels, Restaurants, Shopping and Things to Do
"Whoever does not visit Paris regularly will never really be elegant," said Honoré de Balzac, one of the greatest French...
La Maison Favart: A Warm, Sensual, and Ideal Atmosphere for a Romantic Trip to Paris!
La Maison Favart is one of the best places to stay in Paris for the stunning view over Opéra-Comique, romantic décor, luxurious...
Restaurant Limon at Hotel Marignan Champs-Elysées: A Cozy bar-restaurant in the 8th arrondissement
The 128-year-old property makes a good first impression with the gleaming black and white marble, art deco features, custom-designed...
Hotel Thérèse Paris: Discreet Luxury and Warm Atmosphere in the First Arrondissement
Hotel Thérèse, a charming 4-star boutique hotel boasts one of the most desirable locations in Paris, the unrivaled Opera...
Maison Astor Paris, Curio Collection by Hilton: Old-World Glamour Meets Modern Luxury
Curio – A Collection by Hilton TM is made for the curious longing for discovery and authenticity. It is a collection of original...
Hotel Parister: The Paris’s most amazing 1970s-inspired hotel
Hotel Parister, a new five-star marvel in the City of Lights, is very chic and, above all, immensely original Parisian affair....
Hilton Paris Opera: The Majestic Legacy of the Belle Epoque!
1889 was a good year for the City of Lights. The Belle Époque was at its peak and always crowded Parisian boulevards were...
Les Jardins de Mademoiselle: A New Hotel and Spa in the 15th Arrondissement
Among numerous Parisian hotels, scarce are the ones that can evoke the serenity of home and tranquility of a spa. Les Jardins...
L’Hotel Paris: The Parisian hotel which needs no name!
“My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.” We could picture Oscar Wilde...
Chef Simon Havage: “French Cuisine is a state of mind”
Ideally situated between the Champs Elysées, Opéra Garnier and La Madeleine, the Hyatt Paris Madeleine stands out for its elegant...
Hotel Esprit Saint Germain: The Timeless Elegance on the Left Bank
Hotel Esprit Saint Germain epitomizes classic Paris and retains the timeless charm of the Left Bank. This 5-star property...
Le Meurice Paris: The Hotel of Kings and Queens
One of the first dreams I had growing up was imagining life in Paris as an artist. I guess that learning about the history...
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Solo Show in Paris
A polymorphous figure of contemporary creation, fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac presents his vision of the world...
Next Page »
Dior Homme Fall 2020: A tribute to Judy Blame bridges past, present and couture
For the Dior Men’s Fall/Winter 2020-2021 collection, Artistic Director of Dior...
Givenchy Men’s Fall 2020 collection: Lavish hedonism inspired by India
The style of the 14th Maharajah of Indore (1908-1961) offers a visual cue for the symbiotic...
The Most Magical German Experience: Neuschwanstein Castle and Idyllic Villages of Bavaria
Just an hour’s ride from Munich, our tour operator Grey Line took us deep into...
Fendi Men's Fall 2020: A surprising collection for the modern gentleman
The Fall/Winter 2020-2021 collection designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, Creative...
Munich winter guide: When the City sparkles a little more
Experiencing Munich in the winter season can be a bit daunting because mostly it is cold,...
Jean-Paul Gaultier announces his retirement
French designer Jean-Paul Gaultier announced his retirement on Friday, January 17, by saying...
Louis Vuitton Men's Fall 2020 collection
In the Jardin des Tuileries, a surrealist vision of Heaven on Earth plays gallery...
Spike Lee named the President of the Jury at the 73rd Festival de Cannes
The American director Spike Lee is to serve as President of the Jury at the next...
PEOPLE IN FASHION
Look of theDay
Copyright 2010. Vesna Filipović

domain: design


text:
The Commissioner of Education, Adamawa State, Honourable Welbina Jackson, has expressed the ministry's readiness to partner Yola Study Centre of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), towards enrolling the state civil servants into the university.
The Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Federal Ministry of Education, Abubakar Isah, has said efforts are on top gear for the implementation of digital literacy policy framework in Nigeria.
Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters and the university’s erstwhile Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede have joined other stakeholders to call for the implementation of a national policy to promote digital learning in Nigeria.
The National Open University of Nigeria's Centre for Human Resource Development (NOUN-CHRD), the Centre for Human Resource Development and Empowerment Initiative (CHRDEI), Kaduna, Root Global Services and De-Gloxy Skills Acquisition Club,have
The Management of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has approved the appointment of Arch.Sadiq Otu Shuaib as the new director, Directorate of Physical Development, Works and Services (DPDW&S).
The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, on Monday, June 27, 2022 conducted the issuance of certificates to graduated inmates at the Maximum Correctional Centre, Lagos.

domain: news


Aug 05, 2022
Warning light you should never ignore – and what to do when it flashes
This news has been received from: the-sun.com
All trademarks, copyrights, videos, photos and logos are owned by respective news sources. News stories, videos and live streams are from trusted sources.
IGNORING that illuminated red exclamation mark on your car’s dashboard is easy — but neglecting the alert for too long can prove costly.
An active brake system warning light means that your vehicle’s parking brake is engaged or your brake fluid is low.
Drivers that activate their parking brake facilitate their brake handle to flip a switch that triggers the warning.
Cars with low brake fluid similarly flip a switch that illuminates their brake system warning light.
Your initial reaction to a brake system warning light should include checking to see if your vehicle’s parking brake is engaged.
If your parking brake’s off, you may be dealing with worn brake pads or a hydraulic system leak from low brake fluid.
Worn brake pads deteriorate the pad’s steel backing and rotors — and rotors with extreme levels of wear will eventually lead to a driver losing control of their brakes.
A driver operating a vehicle with hydraulic system leaks risk losing part or all of their car’s braking ability.
It’s vital that you pull over to a safe area and get your car towed to a garage or service center if you see a steadily lit brake system warning.Most read in MotorsWRONG WAY Watch as idiot driver narrowly misses cars while steering on wrong side of roadBRIGHT SPARK I charge my £50k electric BMW from upstairs after having to REMOVE power pointMINI MAGIC I spent $5 on a Target item - it's great for a common car issueWHEELS AND DEALS Which car selling site will pay you the most for your used car?
Steady brake system warnings can indicate that brake failure is near.
Flashing brake system alerts signal low or empty brake fluid or a higher-priority hydraulic system leak.
It’s essential to follow up on brake system warnings if you want to avoid higher repair costs down the line.
Most auto dealership service centers offer free multi-point inspections to bring in new service and maintenance business.
A multi-point inspection will help you identify brake system issues and any additional problems occurring within your vehicle.2Understanding your car’s dashboard lights can make the difference between small and major repairsCredit: Getty
News Source: the-sun.com
How Sri Lanka's economic collapse raises alarm bells for other emerging markets
During the 2010s, Sri Lanka had one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia.
Things took a 180-degree turn at the end of the decade as the country's economy stumbled. In May 2022, the government defaulted on its debt for the first time in history.
As inflation continued to spiral out of control, with a massive shortage of food, fuel and medicine for the country's 22 million people, Sri Lankans took to the street, forcing the president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to resign and flee the country.
Even though Sri Lanka has a new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, protests continue. Inflation has risen past 50% — and could hit 70% — making it harder for people to survive.
Many experts believe that Sri Lanka's story is a warning sign for emerging markets.
"Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic collapse in its modern history," said Sumudu W. Watugala, assistant professor of finance at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. "This is due to long-standing structural weaknesses exacerbated by a series of idiosyncratic shocks. Sri Lanka's crisis can be a warning sign to other developing nations because it's a classic emerging market crisis in many ways."
So what does Sri Lanka's economic crisis signal about similar economies and emerging markets? Watch the video to learn about more risks involved in emerging markets, how Sri Lanka's economy collapsed and the country's path forward.TVWATCH LIVEWATCH IN THE APPUP NEXT | ETListen


Cricket Cove Marina
4495 Baker Street
Little River, SC 29566
Map & Directions
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about fish biology and marine ecology.
My teaching background of 14 years
and growing up fishing these waters
ensures your trip will be safe, unique,
and engaging. We provide everything
you need for your fishing trip: licenses,
live bait and lures, rods and reels,
botled water and ice.
around every corner, from seeing endangered
birds, sea turtles, or dolphins to
catching an amazing variety of fish
from stingrays to trout. This Myrtle
Beach Charter Fishing Boat is great
for families to spend quality together
and create lasting memories.


text:
Reg Garibaldi, the world’s last known Luca Badoer fan has died at a care home in Nuneaton at the age of 110 it was announced in emotional scenes on the Monday after the European Grand Prix
Ferrari stand in driver, Luca Badoer is still racing at the Valencia street circuit, oblivious to the end of the race after officials forgot to show him the chequered flag, it emerged today.
Ferrari's reaction to the FIA’s latest budget cap initiative will see Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen race in their pants and vests for the 2010 season.
Scotland Yardy: Mclaren were left reeling last night when it was revealed that, together with blueprints of their Formula 1 car, the Woking team were also in possession of sensitive…
Benito Mussolini, the famous dead fascist wartime leader of Italy is said to be, “incandescent with spectral rage” at the slighting of his previous protectorate following the alleged collusion of Toyota and Mclaren against Ferrari at the recent F1 championship finale in Brazil.
Maranello: Following the launch of the new F2008 with which the Italian team hope to defend their World Championship, Ferrari CEO Jean Todt sought to play down suggestions 2008 would be a cakewalk following the parallel announcement the Almighty had been hired in a new but unspecified role. (more…)


Biden, 77, has been leading in an overwhelming majority of polls since announcing his candidacy in April, buoyed by strong name recognition and his previous experience as vice president in the Obama administration.
The most recent poll of Democratic primary voters, from NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, conducted from Dec. 14 to Dec. 17, showed Biden in front with 28 percent, Sanders in second with 21 percent, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in third with 18 percent. Support for Warren is a five-point decline from October levels and a seven-point fall from her peak in September.
The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 4.84 percentage points.
In the most recent survey that he didn’t clearly lead, Biden was tied for first. An Emerson University poll last month found Biden and Sanders both at 27 percent, while Warren lagged at 20 percent.
That poll was conducted from Nov. 17 to Nov. 20 among Democratic primary voters. The last poll Biden didn’t lead or share the top spot was an Economist/YouGov poll conducted from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12, which was topped by Warren.
While Warren had been showing second in a number of polls, more recent surveys have her as a third choice behind Biden and Sanders.
South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg is often fourth in the polls, but well behind the three leading candidates.
Polls in two of the early voting states—South Carolina and Nevada—have also consistently shown Biden on top. Buttigieg has led lately in Iowa and topped the most recent poll in New Hampshire, although Sanders was on top in the two polls before that; Warren also has won a number of polls in the state.
The Iowa caucus is set for Feb. 3, 2020, followed by primary elections in New Hampshire on Feb. 11, Nevada on Feb. 22, and South Carolina on Feb. 29. Super Tuesday refers to March 3, 2020, when more than a dozen states will hold primaries, including Arkansas, Massachusetts, and Texas.
The other Democratic presidential candidates are former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), businessman Andrew Yang, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), billionaire Tom Steyer, former Obama administration cabinet secretary Julian Castro, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), former Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, and author Marianne Williamson.


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Halloween has just passed, and all the leaves of the trees around my apartment have transformed by now into shades of deep reds and oranges. Although the weather has been a bit fickle over the last few weeks, surprising us with random days of 75 degrees plus temperatures, this week was the first that really felt like Autumn. And with that realization came an intense desire to cook something as full of Autumn flavors as I possibly could dream up, less than a month before the ultimate Fall feast itself, Thanksgiving.
This meal has all the Autumn flavors we crave this time of year, including the slightly acidic sweetness of apple cider, the dark, rich sugary taste of maple, the deep herbaciousness of sage and the ultimate Fall vegetable, butternut squash.
Serves 4. Cook time: about 1.5 hours.
For the chicken:
-4 large chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
-2 cups of apple cider
-1 cup of chicken broth
-2 tbsp butter
-2 tbsp flour
-1/4 cup heavy cream
For the squash:
-1 medium-sized butternut squash, cut in half, stem sliced off, seeds removed
-1/4 cup heavy cream
-4 tbsp butter, divided
-1/3 cup maple syrup
-3 tbsp finely chopped sage leaves, stems removed (you can use less if you’d like, but I have an obsession with sage)
For the cornbread:
-3 cups yellow cornmeal
-2 tbsp baking soda
-1.5 tbsp salt
-1 1/3 cup buttermilk
-1 large egg
-1 tbsp maple syrup
-8 tbsp bacon fat (butter works fine as a substitute, but I had some leftover bacon fat I was dying to try out on this recipe)
-1 can corn, drained well
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a dutch oven or a pan with tall sides, melt some butter on medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs well with salt and pepper, and when the butter is melted and the pan is hot, sear the thighs on all sides.
2. While the chicken is searing, place the squash halves on a sheet pan and top each piece with a tablespoon of butter in the center. Add a generous amount of salt to both sides, and place on the lower rack of the oven.
3. When the chicken is well-browned, add the cider and broth (I used leftover broth from last week’s ships basta, a recipe that will be your new favorite thing in the world, but that will come at a later time). Bring to a boil, then to a simmer, and cover.
4. Get started on the cornbread. Melt 2 tbsp of bacon fat in a large cast iron skillet on medium-high. In one medium-sized bowl, mix the cornmeal, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs and syrup. Melt the remaining bacon fat in the microwave, and drizzle it into the wet mixture while whisking.
5. Combine the ingredients by adding the dry to the wet, one half at a time. If the consistency is too thin (it should not be runny) add some more cornmeal. If it’s so thick you can’t whisk with ease, add a splash or two more of buttermilk. Mix in the corn and whisk until just evenly distributed.
6. Pour the batter into the hot skillet, then immediately turn the heat off and place in the oven on the second to top rack. This should cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the top is a light golden-brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Now is a good time to check your squash. If you can easily stick a fork through, it’s done. Remove from heat and set onto a cutting board.
8. While the cornbread is cooling, you will now have to deal with the task of getting the skin off the squash. After about ten minutes, the squash should be cool enough to touch. While you can peel it off with your fingers, you might risk having to pick orange bits of mush out of your fingernails for the remainder of the day. I stand each half on its side, and using a very sharp chef’s knife, I place the blade just lightly against the skin and slice it off.
9. Chop each half into 8 pieces and toss in the food processor. Add the sage, cream, remaining butter and syrup, along with a generous pinch of salt. After reaching the desired consistency, taste a bit and add more salt if needed.
10. The liquid in which the chicken is cooking should have reduced a decent amount by now. Taste for seasoning, and flip the chicken pieces. Place the lid back on.
11. Flip the cornbread onto your cutting board and slice into wedges. Sneak a slice, because cornbread is delicious.
12. At this point, your kitchen should smell amazing. After the chicken has been simmering another ten minutes, remove the lid and check if the chicken is done. You should be able to easily piece a thigh with a fork, and it should appear to be almost coming off the bone. When the chicken is fully cooked, place it on a plate to cool, leaving the sauce in the pan.
13. Bring the temperature up to high to further reduce the sauce. When the sauce is about 1/4 inch high in the pan, add the cream and then add to it the two tbsp of flour combined with 4 tbsp water in a small cup (this is known as a slurry). Quickly whisk in the slurry to avoid clumps. Within several minutes the sauce should thicken to a gravy-like consistency.
14. Place a wedge of cornbread on a plate, and spoon alongside it the squash puree. Lay a chicken thigh on top and spoon the gravy over the whole thing. Enjoy.

domain: food


text:
Gen Z and millennial shoppers are shrugging off inflationary woes and continuing to prioritise a retailer’s reputation when choosing where to spend.
Some 33 per cent of 18-34-year-olds said they are more loyal to brands with a ‘positive corporate reputation’ and ‘values’ that align with their own, compared to just one in seven shoppers aged over 55, a new study by American Express shows.
Coined ‘purposeful shopping’ Gen Z and millennial shoppers also are the most likely group to donate their points or cashback earned from loyalty programmes to charitable causes.
“Building a loyal customer base is the holy grail for any retail brand, but the current economic environment means that’s tougher than ever as shoppers prioritise and flex their spending,” Dan Edelman, vice president and UK general manager of merchant services at American Express, said.
It appears that younger generations are also less likely to be put off by poor customer service, with just 29 per cent of Gen Z and millennial shoppers claiming a poor in-store experience would make them less loyal.
This is in stark contrast to 63 per cent of older generations.
In the wake of soaring living costs, the number of both younger and older generations using loyalty schemes for the first time to help save money has grown, rising 64 per cent and 54 per cent respectively.
Shoppers in both of these groups are signed up to an average of four loyalty schemes, the data revealed.
“In the current environment, it’s natural for people to feel uncertainty meaning an increased desire to control their life, including where they spend money,” Kate Nightingale, consumer psychologist and chief behavioural officer of agency Humanising Brands, said.
“Consumers are seeking reassurance from retailers, and want services that make their lives easier, while also feeling valued by the brands they choose to support. It’s clear that alongside price, both purpose and authenticity are important factors that build trust and support long-term loyalty.”

domain: economics


text:
Tags » Bob Stoops
The battle between Alabama and Ohio State for the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff was an interesting one and, in short, the reaction to the committee’s choice to roll with the Crimson Tide was mixed to say the least. 208 more words
Less than a month ago, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley took a jab at the mighty SEC, the conference that has set the standard in college football for most of the last decade. 678 more words
Tennessee’s coaching search is officially underway following the termination of former head football coach Butch Jones on Sunday.
Several names have been linked to the Vols’ coaching position for weeks, but now that there is actually a vacancy, things will likely heat up in the coming weeks. 618 more words
Rumored candidates are flying fast and furious in conjunction with the open Florida head coaching job and that was to be expected in the aftermath of Jim McElwain’s ousting from Gainesville. 275 more words

domain: sports


text:
Late last year, The New Republic published a pep talk for progressives. It was by John B. Judis and was called “Anti-Statism in America.” Its aim was to explain why President Obama was having such a hard time getting his good and progressive measures through Congress – such warm blankets of progressivism as a mandatory medical-coverage bill, a cap-and-trade bill, and a Consumer Financial Protection Agency bill.
Obama had come into power hoping to do all these things, Roosevelt like, in one huzzah springtime. Eleven months later, all he’d got done was the “stimulus” bill, which was basically a grand bolt of deficit spending on all the usual Democratic stuff. His society-changing reforms were being resisted.
Why was that? There is a tree-versus-the-forest problem in American’s political beliefs, Judis said. If you ask Americans whether insurance companies should be forbidden to reject an applicant because of bad health, they will say sure, let’s forbid that. Should everyone have health insurance? Sure. Feed them the thing in parts, and they1l swallow it. But show them the thing as a whole, and they11 balk: they don’t want a government takeover of all medical insurance, which implies an effective takeover of medicine.
Another writer might conclude that if the people rejected a thing as a whole, their final thought was rejection. Not Judis. He is not worried about the big picture. To him, those worries are like junk DNA, remnants of an old “Lockean liberal” ideology that has produced “today’s free-market conservative or libertarian.”
And these people, Judis says, seem to be slowing down, even blocking, the progressive Obama program.
Judis reminds his readers that this blockage of government goodness has happened before – and that in the past century only a few times has the Left been able to push through big, society-changing reforms. One time (the income tax, the Federal Reserve) was under Wilson; another (Social Security, the National Labor Relations Act) was under Roosevelt; another (Medicare, Medicaid) was under Johnson; and another (the EPA) was early in the term of Nixon.
These cases have several things in common. An important one is ideological strength on the Left: the socialists in Wilson’s time, Huey Long and the Coughlinites in Roosevelt’s, the New Left in Johnson’s and Nixon’s.
Another commonality is political skill. Statist measures were sold in a way so as not to I’raise anti-statist hackles.” Wilson claimed that his Federal Trade Commission would improve market competition. Roosevelt labeled Social Security “insurance.” Obama has followed this path by calling his proposed government medical insurance a “public option” – labeling it “an expansion rather than a constriction of free- market choice” in order “to avoid the impression that they are advocating a federal takeover of the health care system.”
Nowhere does Judis argue that the Right is inaccurate in labeling these measures statist. He is advising the Left to make sure they are not labeled that way.
Obama has done this. And Wall Street has been discredited to a degree beyond what any leftist could have hoped. Obama has majorities in both houses of Congress. But several things block him still. The majorities are not as large as they were under Roosevelt and Johnson. The crisis of capitalism is not dire enough; the economy has stopped falling, the stock market is up, and people are not ‘scared enough. Further, there is a surprisingly “vibrant and unsettling ideological conservatism” as expressed in the tea parties. Finally, there hasn’t been a strong enough push from the Left to “intimidate Democratic fence-sitters” into supporting the president.
“Obama and the Democrats need active, unruly, and independent pressure from the left,” he writes.
All of this is, in fact, very good advice to the Left. For the Right it is valuable as well. It is an affirmation that the tea- party demonstrations and other means of stirring public sup- port – and intimidating Republican fence-sitters – do work.

domain: politics


text: The Microtech A.D.O. (Alpha Detachment Operative) is hand-crafted from a solid billet of stainless steel. This knife follows the design philosophy of Chris Reeve fixed blades with a hollow handle, accessed by unscrewing the glass breaker tip (with o-ring seal). The A.D.O. comes with a molded sheath.


text:
Prompt: Utilizing the Laser Lab, I had to make a pair of shoes for a partner assigned to me. We interviewed each other to be able to make the shoes personal to them.
My partner expressed that the most challenging thing she had to face since moving to Parsons was adapting to the city, since she is from Shenzhen, China. I wanted to incorporate that, so I had the sole of the left shoe have the map of Shenzhen and the right shoe have the map of Manhattan and our campus. My partner also expressed that her favorite animal was a hamster. I added the hamster balls to add more of an interactive and unconventional element– something a slipper normally would not have. I used the Laser Lab to cut out and engrave the chipboard and leather. I used clay and paint to make the hamsters and found round cases for stress balls for the hamster balls.


Met Office Weather warning for Monday 30th April 2018.
Posted: Mon, 30 Apr 2018 11:05 by Lisa Allan
Saturday 21st April
Posted: Wed, 11 Apr 2018 12:55 by Joanna Butterworth
Make Your Voice Count at
The Annual Town Meeting - Thursday 26th April 2018
The Queen Victoria Hall
Tea & Coffee from 7pm
Meeting starts 7.30pm
Posted: Tue, 10 Apr 2018 12:25 by Lisa Allan
Oundle Neighbourhood Plan Public Meeting
Posted: Tue, 10 Apr 2018 09:38 by Emma Baker
Leaders of the district and borough councils across Northamptonshire note the statement from the Secretary of State about Northamptonshire County Council.
Posted: Thu, 29 Mar 2018 15:28 by Lisa Allan
Sports sponsorship is good for business.
Posted: Thu, 29 Mar 2018 15:24 by Lisa Allan
Urgently required Café Assistant for The Hub, Fletton House.
Up to 16 hours over 5 days to include Saturday's
Contact Lisa Tel: 01832 270501
Posted: Fri, 23 Mar 2018 15:10 by Lisa Allan
Speedwatch Oundle 2018 need volunteers
Posted: Wed, 21 Mar 2018 15:47 by Lisa Allan
ENC News - What do I get for my council tax?
Posted: Wed, 21 Mar 2018 10:43 by Lisa Allan


text:
Review the latest construction notices and community documents for the project.
Lakeshore East Line GO Expansion
- Bowmanville Extension
Metrolinx to introduce train service to Bowmanville
Durham Region is growing and thriving more every day – new housing developments, businesses, and amenities offer exciting opportunities for this vibrant community to live, work and play. Now more than ever, Durham residents have more choices to do what they want to do, when they want to do it. As the region expands and the population increases, it’s vital that transit adapts to the needs of the community and offers them more freedom to travel in and out of Durham when they want.
Metrolinx is committed to delivering rail service to communities beyond Oshawa as quickly as we can, and to do so with an all-day service.
Metrolinx has advanced the future service plan for Bowmanville through the Preliminary Design Business Case (PDBC). Once required infrastructure is complete, customers will benefit from express peak service every half an hour operating between Union Station and Pickering GO Station, making all stops between Pickering and Bowmanville.
In the off-peak, GO trains will travel hourly making all stops between Bowmanville and Union Station. Weekend service will be every two hours making all stops between Bowmanville and Union Station.
The expanded service will reduce commuters in-vehicle travel time an average of 15 minutes from Bowmanville to Union Station.
For more information on business cases and environmental reports for the project visit the studies page.
Bowmanville Extension now has a construction manager
In June 2023, Metrolinx announced Bowmanville Construction Partners (BCP) as the construction manager that will come on board to help inform the detailed design and provide construction management advice for the Bowmanville Extension project. This procurement process began in April 2022. BCP is a general partnership between Ledcor CMI Ltd. and Dragados Canada Inc. Learn more on Metrolinx News.
Transit oriented communities
Under the PDBC, all stations along the Bowmanville Extension (Thornton’s Corners East, Ritson Road, Courtice, and Bowmanville) will be pursued through Metrolinx and the Province’s Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program.
Benefits to the community
Expanded rail service will provide Durham Region with more direct connections to the larger GO Transit network, helping to reduce congestion in the Greater Golden Horseshoe while connecting people to education and job opportunities.
Learn more about the benefits the Bowmanville Extension project will bring to your community.
Reduced travel time
15 minute reduction of in-vehicle travel time from Bowmanville to Union
Two-way, all-day service
Fast, frequent rail service beyond Oshawa
20 kilometer extension
Extension of the Lakeshore East Line to Bowmanville
More connections to Regional Transportation
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Subscribe for the latest news from Metrolinx. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Eglinton Crosstown West Extension
Extending the Eglinton Crosstown LRT 9.2 km farther west into Etobicoke and Mississauga.
Kitchener Line GO Expansion
We're transforming the Kitchener Line into a two-way, all-day rapid transit line.
PEELTORONTO REGIONGUELPH AND WELLINGTONHALTONWATERLOOGO EXPANSION


According to The Washington Post, the players are attempting to lift the blackout in federal court in Minneapolis, by filing a 52-page antitrust lawsuit, and if they succeed, whatever is salvaged of the 2011 season will likely be played under the same uncapped rules that the 2010 season was played under.
That would mean there would be no player-payroll maximum or minimum for NFL teams. Players with expired contracts would need six years of NFL service time to be eligible for unrestricted free agency, rather than the four seasons required when the salary cap system was in effect; players with expired contracts and three to five seasons of NFL experience would be restricted free agents. Each team would have an extra transition-player tag, in addition to the one franchise-player or transition-player designation allowed per club under the salary cap system, to restrict players’ movement in free agency, and there would be limits on the free agent activity of last season’s final eight playoff teams.
Players expect to hear within three to four weeks if their request for an injunction is granted. If it is, and the lockout is lifted, the owners can then appeal the decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. If that happens, it's possible that the lockout is lifted and then sent back into lockout mode if an owner appeal were to be granted.


text:
In addition, stimulating the cells with 50 μM S1P resulted in oxygen radical formation comparable to ROS production in the presence of AZD9668 4 μM CXCL4, while 5 or 0.5 μM S1P were not effective
(Fig. 6B). Furthermore, exogenously added S1P (50 μM) significantly reduces caspase-9 activation as compared with the unstimulated control (Fig. 6C). While this effect appears to be incomplete after 24 h of treatment, inhibition of caspase-9 was comparable to that observed following CXCL4 stimulation after 48 h of incubation with S1P. Moreover, stimulation with 50 μM S1P resulted in Erk phosphorylation after 24 h of stimulation, while CXCL4 mediates a more prolonged activation of Erk (Fig. 6D). In summary, treatment with high dosages of exogenous S1P resulted in Erk phosphorylation, reduced caspase
activation, and induction of ROS production in monocytes. To address the question whether overexpression of SphK1 alone is sufficient to mimick CXCL4 stimulation, we transfected monocytes with either SphK1-plasmid or empty vector. As a control we used CXCL4-stimulated cells in the presence of the transfection reagent, and SphK1 expression as well as cell viability was tested after 72 h. As shown in Fig. 6E (right panels) CXCL4 stimulation results in a fivefold increase in SphK1 expression compared with the unstimulated control. Transfection of the empty vector already leads to a sixfold increased SphK1 expression, which is further increased to 16-fold in Regorafenib SphK1-plasmid transfected cells. As expected, stimulation with CXCL4 results in significant reduction in both apoptotic and necrotic cell death (Fig. 6E, left panels). Furthermore, transfection with the vector or SphK1-plasmid both resulted in a significant decrease of apoptotic cells and a significant increase in necrotic cells.
More importantly, no difference could be detected between vector transfected and SphK1 overexpressing cells. These data indicate that overexpression of SphK1 is not sufficient to rescue monocytes from cell death, and at least one additional signal provided by CXCL4 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase is required for monocyte survival. S1P is a unique signaling molecule in that it can act both as an extracellular ligand for S1P receptors (G protein-coupled receptors) and as an intracellular second messenger. It has been described that monocytes mainly express two S1P receptors, S1P1 and S1P2, and that these receptors interact amongst others with Gi proteins 12. In a next set of experiments, we tested whether CXCL4 and S1P stimulated monocyte functions are dependent on Gi protein-coupled S1P receptors. In these experiments cells were preincubated in the presence or absence of pertussis toxin (PTX) (500 ng/mL; 90 min). Subsequently, cells were stimulated with CXCL4 (4 μM), S1P (50 μM), or fMLP (1 μM; as a control) and production of ROS was recorded for 60 min. Preincubation of the cells with PTX resulted in a significant reduction of fMLP- and S1P-mediated respiratory burst by 85 and 61%, respectively (Fig.