Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Affecting the Travel Expenditure of Visitors to Macau, China

This study examines factors affecting the travel expenditures of visitors to Macau. Employing Tobit analysis, the study investigates the effects of socio-demographic and trip-related characteristics on total expenditure, as well as various travel expenditures across different expenditure functions. Three locations were used for data collection: the border gate with mainland China, the Macau ferry terminal and Macau International Airport. Tourists who were married, had a higher education background and household income and were in a large party tended to spend more on total travel-related expenditures. Distance to Macau turned out to be another important variable affecting tourists' travel expenditure patterns. Compared to tourists from mainland China or Hong Kong, long-haul foreign tourists to Macau spent more on lodging and shopping. Considering the high contribution margin of international long-haul tourists, Macau's tourism industry should entice more of these visitors to generate even higher revenues.
Meta-Analysis of Stated Preference Environmental Valuation Studies in China, with Implications for Benefit Transfer

As an approach for nonmarket valuation, benefit transfer uses the results of existing studies to predict the values of goods and services at sites where original valuation studies have not been conducted. It has the advantage of saving time and funding, but it depends heavily on the characteristics of the original studies as well as the transfer method. Considering the increasing demand for environmental valuation in China, benefit transfer may play an important role in assisting natural resource and environment management. This Master’s project created a database of stated preference studies on environmental valuation in China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), and it applied a meta-analytic benefit transfer approach to the database to study factors that influence willingness to pay and the accuracy of alternative benefit transfer methods. The results indicated that the number of stated preference valuation studies in China has increased in recent decades, but the studies are distributed unevenly across the country and focus on different environmental assets in different regions and time periods. The meta-analysis found that several variables, including response format, research format, payment interval, payment vehicle, document type, and specific environmental assets such as air quality, have a significant influence on willingness to pay estimates. A trimmed version of the full model had the best performance in terms of transfer accuracy, followed by a stepwise trimmed model, a central tendency approach, and the full model. These findings suggest that the meta-analytic benefit transfer method can serve as a useful tool for Chinese environmental management.
The Human Flesh Search Engine in China : a case-oriented approach to understanding online collective action

There has been a growing interest in online politics in China. The research mostly focuses on the role of the Internet in two areas, one is its creation of a public sphere and the challenges it poses to the existing communication and political system, and the other one is online censorship undertaken by Chinese authorities to reduce the scope of political discussion online and keep the domestic cyberspace from being merged with foreign cyberspace. However, some political uses of the Internet in China have tended to be overlooked. This thesis seeks to redress this lacuna in research by examining the political focus of a recent Internet phenomenon the Human Flesh Search Engine (HFSE). This term might be more at home in pages of a horror novel but was originally applied by the Chinese media to refer to the practice of online searching for people or human hunting. While existing examinations have focused on breaches of individual privacy by these so called online vigilantes this study mainly focuses on the ability of HFSE to reveal norms transgressions by public officials and lead to their removal. As the politically-focused HFSE is part of the tendency of Chinese popular protest, it is necessary to explore how the HFSE differs from and is similar to those offline protests in China. A case-oriented approach is applied to the research on HFSE. More specifically, the first part of this research puts the understanding of HFSE in Chinese historical context, with the aim of exploring the common dynamics between HFSE and those historical examples of Chinese bottom-up collective action. Then in the second part, a comparison between HFSE and recent Chinese offline popular protests is conducted in order to establish the pattern of politically-focused HFSE. In the third part, based on the empirical cases, the research on HFSE continues with an exploration of HFSE s underlying causal mechanisms to answer a key question of this research: why did HFSE occur? The study implies that there are continuities with respect to the Chinese bottom-up collective action as HFSE and Chinese rural resistances as well as urban labour strikes in the twentieth century of China tend to show similar dynamics, which are determined by the power structure they are exposed to. Moreover, the internal process of politically-focused HFSE differs largely from that of recent Chinese offline popular protests, which indicates that HFSE does not have an offline equivalent, although some of its stages can be witnessed offline. Furthermore, HFSE s occurrence is brought about by a combination of online and offline factors, which are relevant to not only the Internet and Chinese cyberspace, but also the political system that has contributed to the growth of official corruption and low government credibility in China.
Expansion and slowdown in Southeast Asian electronics manufacturing

This paper examines the growth and slowdown in the electronics industry in Southeast Asia. American, Japanese and European multinational corporations relocated operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines in the late 1960s and early 1970s to begin electronics assembly, packaging and testing, which was followed in the late 1980s and 1990s by the relocation of electronics manufacturing from Japanese, European, American, Korean, Singaporean and Taiwanese multinationals to the above Southeast Asian countries as well as Thailand and Indonesia. Whereas Singapore has managed significant upgrading to designing and development activities through the provision of grants, incentives, labs and strong infrastructure coordination, electronics production in the remaining countries has largely remained entrenched in assembly, packaging and testing activities. The failure of Malaysia and Thailand to support technological upgrading has undermined the capacity of these economies to sustain rapid growth of the industry as China, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam have a big edge in low wages and the labour force. Hence, while Singapore has managed to upgrade, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam continue to enjoy rapid growth in low-end manufacturing activities, Malaysia and Thailand have faced a fall in the significance of the industry since 2000.
The Role of Marketing in Developing Successful New Products in South Korea and Taiwan

Developing new products is an important activity for firms in the global, competitive marketplace. While marketing plays an important role in the process of developing new products, few studies have examined marketing's role in developing new products in East Asia. This research focuses on comparing marketing's contribution to the new product development process in South Korean and Taiwanese firms. South Korea and Taiwan have rapidly expanding economies that depend heavily on foreign exchange. In addition, these two countries have successfully transformed themselves from producing mainly low-value, labor-intensive goods to producing many high-value, high-technology products that require significant marketing savvy and proficiency. In this article, a model of the interrelationships among marketing resources, skills, activities, and new product performance is developed and tested using data on 372 recently developed South Korean new products and 306 recently developed Taiwanese new products. The results generally support the model, though some interesting differences were found between the two countries. It was found that merely possessing large quantities of marketing resources is not a key to new product success. Rather, the marketing skills derived from marketing resources and the proficiency in conducting marketing activities are important for successfully developing new products in South Korean and Taiwanese firms.
Divergent evolution of the chloroplast small heat shock protein gene in the genera Rhododendron (Ericaceae) and Machilus (Lauraceae).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Evolutionary and ecological roles of the chloroplast small heat shock protein (CPsHSP) have been emphasized based on variations in protein contents; however, DNA sequence variations related to the evolutionary and ecological roles of this gene have not been investigated. In the present study, a basal angiosperm, Machilus, together with the eudicot Rhododendron were used to illustrate the evolutionary dynamics of gene divergence in CPsHSPs. METHODS Degenerate primers were used to amplify CPsHSP-related sequences from 16 Rhododendron and eight Machilus species that occur in Taiwan. Manual DNA sequence alignment was carried out according to the deduced amino acid sequence alignment performed by CLUSTAL X. A neighbour-joining tree was generated in MEGA using conceptual translated amino acid sequences from consensus sequences of cloned CPsHSP genes from eight Machilus and 16 Rhododendron species as well as amino acid sequences of CPsHSPs from five monocots and seven other eudicots acquired from GenBank. CPsHSP amino acid sequences of Funaria hygrometrica were used as the outgroups. The aligned DNA and amino acid sequences were used to estimate several parameters of sequence divergence using the MEGA program. Separate Bayesian inference of DNA sequences of Rhododendron and Machilus species was analysed and the resulting gene trees were used for detection of putative positively selected amino acid sites by the Codeml program implemented in the PAML package. Mean hydrophobicity profile analysis was performed with representative amino acid sequences for both Rhododendron and Machilus species by the Bioedit program. The computer program SplitTester was used to examine whether CPsHSPs of Rhododendron lineages and duplicate copies of the Machilus CPsHSPs have evolved functional divergence based on the hydrophobicity distance matrix. KEY RESULTS Only one copy of the CPsHSP was found in Rhododendron. However, a higher evolutionary rate of amino acid substitutions in the Hymenanthes lineage of Rhododendron was inferred. Two positively selected amino acid sites may have resulted in higher hydrophobicity in the region of the alpha-crystallin domain (ACD) of the CPsHSP. By contrast, the basal angiosperm, Machilus, possessed duplicate copies of the CPsHSP, which also differed in their evolutionary rates of amino acid substitutions. However, no apparent relationship of ecological relevance toward the positively selected amino acid sites was found in Machilus. CONCLUSIONS Divergent evolution was found for both Rhododendron lineages and the paralogues of CPsHSP in Machilus that were directed to the shift in hydrophobicity in the ACD and/or methionine-rich region, which might have played important roles in molecular chaperone activity.
Exploring e-business implications of the mobile internet: a cross-national survey in Hong Kong, Japan and Korea

The use of the mobile internet has been increasing rapidly around the world, presenting high hopes for new business opportunities. However, only a few studies have been conducted to identify e-business implications of the mobile internet, even though it is one of the crucial factors in realising the potential of the mobile internet. Furthermore, the unique characteristics of local telecommunication markets along with the increasing trend for global e-business have led to a growing need for cross-national studies on the mobile internet. This study aims at investigating e-business implications of the mobile internet from a customer perspective across different countries. To investigate the cross-national differences of the mobile internet, simultaneous online surveys using an identical questionnaire were conducted in Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. Results from the online survey in the three countries yielded the following findings. First, adoption patterns for the mobile internet were different across the three countries. Second, customers' perceptions of the importance of the mobile internet, and their willingness to pay for mobile internet services, differed significantly across different countries. Finally, customers' preferred services in mobile internet businesses also differed across the three countries. This paper concludes with the implications of the results of the study for mobile service providers and policy makers.
The study of the key factors of successfully importing foreign workers by utilizing two-stage relationship marketing model

In recent years, the Taiwanese government has been importing foreign workers to supplement the shortage of domestic labor force as a temporary expedient. Its main purpose is to help solve domestic businesses' labor problems. By importing foreign workers, the employer is able to obtain an immediate labor force. At the same time, the agency also generates economic gains. Upon arriving in Taiwan, language, religion culture and environment are all unfamiliar. For this reason, the workers have to adjust to these differences and work to achieve their financial goals at the same time. Some experience difficulties in both work and everyday life. Apart from issues of a personal nature, these difficulties may be related to several other issues particular to the foreign worker system. It could be government policies or control measures. It could also be the way the employer utilizes the worker or runs the business. This study is based on relationship marketing models. To discuss the key factors of successfully importing foreign workers, this study will be conducted by using questionnaires to verify the model and analyze the data.
Stock Returns and Macroeconomic Influences: Evidence from the Six Asian-Pacific Countries

We examine the dynamics relationship between stock prices and economic variables in six Asian-Pacific selected countries of Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia. The monthly data on stock price indices, foreign exchange rates, consumer price index and industrial production index that spans from January 1993 to December 2002 are used. In particular, we focus our analysis on the long run equilibrium and short run multivariate causality between these variables. The results indicate the existing of a long run equilibrium relationship between and among variables in only four countries, i.e., Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Australia. As for short run relationship, all countries except for Hong Kong and Thailand show some interactions. The Hong Kong shows relationship only between exchange rate and stock price while the Thailand reports significant interaction only between output and stock prices. An accurate estimation of the relationship between the economic variables and stock market behaviour enables the investors - both local and foreign to make effective investment decisions. At the same time, for the policy makers, a precise prediction of this type of relationship may help government agencies in designing policies to encourage more capital inflows into the respective countries' capital market.
Prevalence and risk factors of occupational hand dermatoses in electronics workers

The electronics industry is becoming an important mainstream in the workforce in some developed countries and in Taiwan. Among patients with occupational hand dermatitis in northern Taiwan, workers from electronics industries were one of the most important groups. We conducted a field investigation to determine the prevalence, patterns and risk factors of occupational hand dermatoses among electronics workers. The survey was conducted in five electronics plants using a self-administered questionnaire on skin symptoms and risk factors. Skin examination and patch testing were followed for those with symptoms compatible with hand dermatitis. A total of 3070 workers completed the questionnaire. Among them, 302 (9.8%) reported to have symptoms (itching and with either redness/scaling) compatible with contact dermatitis on hands. Hand dermatitis was associated with working in the fabrication unit and personal history of atopy and metal allergy, as well as the following job titles: wafer bonding, cutting, printing/photomasking, softening/degluing, impregnation and tin plating. Among those with reported hand dermatitis, 183 completed skin examination and patch testing, 65/183 (35.5%) were diagnosed as having irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) and 7/183 (3.8%) allergic contact dermatitis. The most important allergens were nickel, cobalt and phenylenediamine. In conclusion, Taiwanese electronics workers have a high risk of having hand dermatitis, especially ICD. Preventive efforts should be focused on the workers with risk factors or at certain worksites.
Extreme Dependence between public real estate and stock markets 1

The main contribution of this study is to study the extreme dependence between the real estate securities and stock markets in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan between January 1995 and March 2011. For each market, we derive the time series tail dependence coefficients (TDC) which measures how likely financial returns move in extreme market conditions, using the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) methodology of Engle (2002). Overall, our results indicate Singapore, Philippines and Hong Kong have the highest extreme real estate–stock market co-movement of at least 50%. In addition, during the GFC period, the securitized real estate and common stock markets in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines and Singapore display the highest extreme dependence to react together to financial turmoil. The results in this paper also show that the extreme dependence patterns of real estatestock markets are similar for many of the Asia-Pacific economies. Finally, correlation coefficients are not adequate for explaining extreme co-movements between the securitized real estate and common stock markets in the longer period, as well as in the two-year GFC periods. Our TDC modeling with Asia-Pacific securitized real estate and stock markets provide useful information and advices to international investors and risk management personnel in tactical asset allocation so as to manage the extreme dependence between securitized real estate and common stock markets.
Neuroimaging Studies in Carbon Monoxide Intoxication

CO is a tasteless, odorless and colorless gas. The existence of endogenous CO in the human body arises from heme catabolism (Meredith and Vale 1988; Ernst and Zibrak 1998) and oxidation of organic molecules (Marilena 1997). Endogenous CO acts as a neurotransmitter for long-term potentiation, consequently playing a key role in memory and learning (Marilena 1997). It also plays a role in modulating inflammation, apoptosis, cell proliferation, mitochondrial biogenesis (Weaver 2009) and vascular relaxation (Marilena 1997). Exogenous sources of CO intoxication include smoking, forest fires, pollutants, and improper usage of heaters or furnaces (Weaver 2009; Kumar, Prakash et al. 2010). CO intoxication usually indicates exposure to exogenous sources and is considered one of the most common causes of poisoning worldwide (Prockop and Chichkova 2007; Weaver 2009), with 1000 deaths annually in Britain (Meredith and Vale 1988), and 4000-6000 deaths annually in the United States (Tibbles and Perrotta 1994; Ernst and Zibrak 1998; Weaver 1999). In Asia, the exact epidemiology remains unclear. In Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, a common CO etiology of intoxication is charcoal burning suicide (Lee, Chan et al. 2002). In Japan, poisoning by charcoal burning is the most lethal form of suicide and is a highly prevalent method among men aged 25-64 years of age (Kamizato, Yoshitome et al. 2009), in contrast to a high rate of drug poisoning as a method of suicide in women. In Hong Kong, the risk factors of suicide by charcoal burning are male and living alone with financial stress (Lee and Leung 2009). In Taiwan, charcoal burning was not a common method of suicide before 1998, with a rate of only 0.14 per 105 people per year (Lin and Lu 2008). With the dissemination of media and the internet, the rate of charcoal burning suicides dramatically increased by 40-fold, reaching a rate of 5.38 per 105 people per year in 2005 (Lin and Lu 2008).
Incidence and survival of cancers among 1,054 hemophilia patients: A nationwide and 14‐year cohort study

As life expectancy increases in persons with hemophilia (PWH), more age‐related diseases such as cancer emerge among this patient group. The aim of this study was to investigate incidence and survival of cancers among PWH in Taiwan. We analyzed data of 1,054 PWH retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2010, by comparing variables to 10540 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy individuals from the general population. There were 43 PWH and 178 individuals of general population with newly diagnosed cancer (RR 2.42, 95% CI 1.74–3.35). The cumulative incidences of cancer in PWH and the general population were 4.7 and 1.9%, respectively. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was the major type of cancer (17 cases) in PWH; cancer rate was still increased when HCC and HIV‐related cancers were excluded (RR 1.66, 95% CI 1.06–2.59). There was no significant difference observed in lung, colorectal, or prostate cancer occurrence. Compared to the general population, PWH were younger at the time of cancer diagnosis (45.1 vs. 57.2 years old, P value < 0.001), and had fewer co‐morbidities. Nineteen PWH with cancers died during the study period, and no bleeding‐related death was recorded among these patients. The survival rate was not different between PWH and the general population, P = 0.86. In conclusion, the cumulative incidence of cancer among PWH was higher than the general population. PWH with cancer were younger and had fewer comorbidities, but the survival rates were similar in the two groups.Am. J. Hematol. 90:E55–E59, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ethnic news and its effects on presidential approval among Chinese Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Ethnic media play important roles in constructing or reconstructing ethnic identity, facilitating the acculturation process, and encouraging political participation among ethnic groups. The current study investigated the moderation effects of ethnic news use on the relationships between political ideology and presidential approval among Chinese Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic when the virus was called the ‘Chinese virus' by some news media and the former U.S. President Donald Trump. Relying on a survey of Chinese Americans conducted between October and December 2020, the study showed that while conservative Chinese Americans were more likely than liberals to approve of the former president Trump, the effects of political ideology on the presidential evaluations were diminishing for people who used ethnic media more frequently to get news.