Changes in alpha‐1 and beta‐2 adrenoceptor density in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Catecholamines are involved critically in the mechanisms of liver cell proliferation by acting on hepatic alpha‐1 and beta‐2 adrenoceptors. To identify the role of these receptors in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the density was examined of alpha‐1 and beta‐2 adrenoceptors with their affinity and coupling of beta‐2 adrenoceptors to adenylate cyclase in HCC tissue and in nonadjacent/nontumor tissue from the same livers. Studies were also done on healthy livers from age‐matched and sex‐matched patients undergoing abdominal surgery for nonhepatic diseases. Twenty‐two HCC had a decrease of about 72% in alpha‐1 adrenoceptor density compared with their nonadjacent/nontumor tissue and a decrease of about 40% compared with healthy controls. Nonadjacent/nontumor tissue from HCC patients had a 125% increase in alpha‐1 adrenoceptor density compared with healthy livers. Twenty‐three of 24 HCC had an increase of about 180% in beta adrenoceptor density compared with their nonadjacent/nontumor tissue and healthy controls. Beta adrenoceptors were coupled to adenylate cyclase, as evidenced by a guanosine triphosphate‐mediated right shift in (–)‐isoproterenol competition isotherms and by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production after stimulation with (–)‐isoproterenol. The HCC tissue yielded a larger increase in cAMP than nonadjacent/nontumor tissue and healthy controls. The authors conclude that a higher density of alpha‐1 adrenoceptors in nonadjacent/nontumor tissue from HCC characterizes the “healthy” part of the liver in HCC patients and that an increase in beta‐2 and a decrease in alpha‐1 adrenoceptor densities characterize the tumor part of the liver in human HCC. Copyright © 1991 American Cancer Societ

Brand Suicide? Memory and Liking of Negative Brand Names

Negative brand names are surprisingly common in the marketplace (e.g., Poison perfume; Hell pizza, and Monster energy drink), yet their effects on consumer behavior are currently unknown. Three studies investigated the effects of negative brand name valence on brand name memory and liking of a branded product. Study 1 demonstrates that relative to nonnegative brand names, negative brand names and their associated logos are better recognised. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrate that negative valence of a brand name tends to have a detrimental influence on product evaluation with evaluations worsening as negative valence increases. However, evaluation is also dependent on brand name arousal, with high arousal brand names resulting in more positive evaluations, such that moderately negative brand names are equally as attractive as some non-negative brand names. Study 3 shows evidence for affective habituation, whereby the effects of negative valence reduce with repeated exposures to some classes of negative brand name

On the Importance of Complaint Handling Design : A Multi-Level Analysis of the Impact in Specific Complaint Situations

Given the large investments required for high-quality complaint handling design, managers need practical guidance in understanding its actual importance for their particular company. However, while prior research emphasizes the general relevance of complaint handling design, it fails to provide a more differentiated perspective on this interesting issue. This study, which is based on an integrative multi-level framework and a dyadic dataset, addresses this important gap in research. Results indicate that the impact of a company’s complaint handling design varies significantly depending on the characteristics of the complaining customers with which the firm has to deal. Further, this paper shows that, contingent on these characteristics, a company’s complaint handling design can shape complainants’ fairness perceptions either considerably or only slightly. Overall, findings suggest that companies should apply an adaptive approach to complaint handling to avoid misallocation of attention, energy, and resources

Justice and feelings: Toward a new era in justice research

In this special issue, the relationship between feelings and justice and its consequences are highlighted. Five articles discuss the role that affect, feelings, and emotions play in justice processes across a variety of social settings. In the present introductory article, the position of past and present justice research in relationship to these topics is briefly reviewed. In addition, reasons are outlined to show why a focus on these issues may be pivotal for a better understanding of social justice and how this may pave the way for a new, more process-oriented era in social justice research, focusing more on “hot” cognitive aspects as they pertain to social justice concerns

The mediating role of discrete emotions in the relationship between injustice and counterproductive work behaviors:a study in Pakistan

Purpose: Our study explores the mediating role of discrete emotions in the relationships between employee perceptions of distributive and procedural injustice, regarding an annual salary raise, and counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). Design/Methodology/Approach: Survey data were provided by 508 individuals from telecom and IT companies in Pakistan. Confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and bootstrapping were used to test our hypothesized model. Findings: We found a good fit between the data and our tested model. As predicted, anger (and not sadness) was positively related to aggressive CWBs (abuse against others and production deviance) and fully mediated the relationship between perceived distributive injustice and these CWBs. Against predictions, however, neither sadness nor anger was significantly related to employee withdrawal. Implications: Our findings provide organizations with an insight into the emotional consequences of unfair HR policies, and the potential implications for CWBs. Such knowledge may help employers to develop training and counseling interventions that support the effective management of emotions at work. Our findings are particularly salient for national and multinational organizations in Pakistan. Originality/Value: This is one of the first studies to provide empirical support for the relationships between in/justice, discrete emotions and CWBs in a non-Western (Pakistani) context. Our study also provides new evidence for the differential effects of outward/inward emotions on aggressive/passive CWBs

Representing 3D Space in Working Memory: Spatial Images from Vision, Hearing, Touch, and Language

The chapter deals with a form of transient spatial representation referred to as a spatial image. Like a percept, it is externalized, scaled to the environment, and can appear in any direction about the observer. It transcends the concept of modality, as it can be based on inputs from the three spatial senses, from language, and from long-term memory. Evidence is presented that supports each of the claimed properties of the spatial image, showing that it is quite different from a visual image. Much of the evidence presented is based on spatial updating. A major concern is whether spatial images from different input modalities are functionally equivalent— that once instantiated in working memory, the spatial images from different modalities have the same functional characteristics with respect to subsequent processing, such as that involved in spatial updating. Going further, the research provides some evidence that spatial images are amodal (i.e., do not retain modality-specific features)

Brasileiro gosta de "muvuca"?: impacto da densidade humana no comportamento de compra

This study investigated how the changes in human density in stores affect the consumers’ perception of crowding and satisfaction. Two experiments were conducted to test how shoppers behave in different levels of store crowding, moderated by the variables: familiarity, acumen towards the store aesthetics, and consumers’ income. The moderation tests indicated that while higher familiarity reduces the negative responses to crowding, higher levels of aesthetic acumen have an opposite effect. The results indicated non-significant differences in consumers’ responses between the low and medium stores human density levels, but showed a substantial increase of negative responses between the medium and high density level. The results indicated non-significant differences between lower and upper income responses. This paper brings not only managerial suggestions, but offers a significant contribution to a better understanding and integration of conceptual frameworks about the crowding phenomenon, and suggests many avenues for further investigation

CREATIVE MARKETING STRATEGY AND EFFECTIVE EXECUTION ON PERFORMANCE IN PAKISTAN

The purpose of the current research is to determine the influence of creative marketing strategies and effective execution on business unit performance. Moreover, strategic orientation and environmental uncertainty are used as moderating variables. Data are collected from 368 key informants working in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), banking, pharmaceutical, chemical, insurance, and engineering industries using a multi-stage random sampling technique. Factor analysis and multiple hierarchal regressions are used to test the study hypotheses. The results indicate that creative marketing strategy and effective execution are positively associated with business performance. Moreover, environmental uncertainty and strategic orientation play a moderating role in the above relationships