Investigating Factors Affecting Electronic Word-Of-Mouth In The Open Market Context: A Mixed Methods Approach

Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) has been identified as one of key factors affecting online sales. There has been, however, lack of understanding about the factors leading to eWOM in the open market context. As many Internet vendors have adopted the open market business, it is essential to understand the factors leading to eWOM for the success of open market business. This study investigates factors affecting eWOM in the open market context based on a sequential combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The exploratory findings in the qualitative study become the basis for the quantitative study, survey research. The findings from the mixed methods explain the significance of three new factors (information sharing desire, self-presentation desire, and open market reward) and two other factors (open market satisfaction and open market loyalty) affecting eWOM directly and indirectly. This study contributes to research by adding to the broader literature on eWOM. The findings also can inform open market providers on how to promote and manage eWOM for their online business success

A Study on Apparel Design for Chiropractic Training

In severe cases of spinal misalignment due to wrong back posture during adolescence or focusing on work, modern people can have back pain. Such a symptom is commonly referred to as scoliosis and it already became one of the lifestyle diseases. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to develop a functional musculoskeletal correction wear that can help with maintaining a correct posture by relaxing tonic muscles and maximizing the tension of the relaxed muscle using the principle of sports taping. Market research for design development was conducted at department stores and specialty road shops separately. Department stores were visited on weekdays when the store is not crowded, and specialty road shops were visited at around three o’clock on weekdays after checking their opening, lunch, and closing times. Since the apparel should not interfere with exercise movements while maintaining the body shape, the survey was carried out mostly on yoga and lifestyle training apparel focusing on elasticity and percentage of blending fiber. A camera and audio recorder were prepared and took pictures of clothing tags that show the ratio of polyester and spandex while trying on and checking products at the stores. Data were collected by asking the staff at road specialty shops who has more professional knowledge about the advantages and functions of the existing products and recording their answers. Point color schemes in black color family in which body shapes can look beautiful were mostly checked. Due to the design characteristics that have to maintain the spine, the designs of all-in-one products that can maintain the upper and lower torsos were checked at underwear stores. The existing products were evaluated for their designs to be adopted including the material, integrated into the new design, and then modified and supplemented, and the following chiropractic apparel design was drawn (Table 1). An all-in-one design that wraps around the hips and upper thighs for easy counterbalancing between the upper and lower body was chosen. A design with an accent line that makes body shape looks beautiful and Used compression wear material that is comfortable for activities and presses tight against the skin. Activates the muscle activities of latissimus dorsi muscle using taping method, and provides tension to maintain correct posture of round back and shoulders. In conclusion, prevention, exercise, and stretching are important for scoliosis and sound posture for the loin should be constantly maintained. To that end, not only the proper use of chairs but also apparel that is worn all the time can be helpful

Early Dural Sac Termination with Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Mimic of Nerve Root Anomalies

The precise location of the dural sac (DS) end is necessary for preventing neural injury during spinal surgery or procedures. There has been no report on problems with spine surgery in patients with early DS termination. A 28-year-old woman presented with low back and leg pain involving the left S1 nerve root. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed early DS termination at the lower one-third of the L5 vertebra and lumbar disc herniation at the L5/S1. Microscopic discectomy was performed instead of endoscopic discectomy to avoid unpredictable risks. Due to early DS termination, multiple nerve roots were identified, which look like nerve root congenital anomalies (Neidre and Macnab type II anomalies), and multiple separated nerve roots appeared to exit through a single foramen. After wide exposure by hemilaminectomy, which facilitated adequate visualization and mobilization of the involved nerve roots, the ruptured disc was identified and removed with gentle retraction, avoiding risk of excessive nerve root traction. Unlike other nerve root anomalies, early DS termination could be detected easily with preoperative MRI. Although this condition appears similar to other nerve root anomalies in the surgical field, it is possible to avoid inadvertent neural injury by closely investigating preoperative MRI. If early DS termination is suspected, it is necessary to consider a safer surgical approach

Structure stability evaluation of offshore heave compensator using multi-body dynamics analysis method

Heave compensator attenuate vessel heave motion during drilling operation of drillship. Heave compensator functions as damping form motion of drillship, such as principle spring of suspension system. The load transfers on the parts of heave compensator. Stress and deformation of all parts is evaluated to diagnose the stability of the compensator. This study makes a decision on the safety of structure. Results of analysis confirm the structure stability of heave compensator for simulation. This result can be used as data for structural analysis to determine safety of a structure

Altered expression of thioredoxin reductase-1 in dysplastic bile ducts and cholangiocarcinoma in a hamster model

Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR) is a homodimeric selenoenzyme catalyzing thioredoxin (Trx) in an NADPHdependent manner. With regard to carcinogenesis, these redox proteins have been implicated in cell proliferation, transformation and anti-apoptosis. In the present study, using a hamster cholangiocarcinoma (ChC) model, we evaluated the immunohistochemical expression pattern of TrxR in precancerous lesions and ChCs as well as in normal bile ducts. The goal of this study was to determine the potential role and importance of TrxR in cholangiocarcinogenesis. For the ChC model, we obtained liver tissue specimens with dysplastic bile ducts prior to the development of ChC 8 weeks after initiation of the experiment and ChC samples at 27 weeks. The immunohistochemical analysis showed diffuse cytoplasmic overexpression of TrxR in the dysplastic bile duct epithelial cells as well as in cholangiocarcinoma; this was comparable to the negative or weakly positive in normal and type 1 hyperplastic bile ducts. However, TrxR appeared to be considerably down-regulated in the ChCs when compared to the higher expression observed in the dysplastic bile ducts. Therefore, these results suggest that TrxR overexpression followed by down-regulation might be an important event in cholangiocarcinogenesis, especially at early stages including the cellular transformation of candidate bile ducts. Further studies are however required to determine whether TrxR may be a potential target molecule for chemoprevention against cholangiocarcinogenesis. In addition, the molecular mechanism as well as the importance of the loss of TrxR in the development of cholangiocarcinoma, following dysplastic transformation of bile duct cells, also remains to be clarified.This study was supported by Kangwon National University and Korea Research Foundation Grant (KRF-2004-041- E00324). The authors wish to thank Dr. Min-Ho Choi, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, for providing Clonorchis sinensis

Efficacy and safety of ginsam, a vinegar extract from Panax ginseng, in type 2 diabetic patients: Results of a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study

Abstract Aims/Introduction: The efficacy, dose–response relationship and safety of ginsam, a vinegar extract from Panax ginseng, were evaluated in an 8‐week, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study in drug‐naïve patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: A total of 72 diabetic patients were randomized to receive 1500, 2000 or 3000 mg of ginsam, or placebo daily for 8 weeks (n = 18 in each group). The primary end‐point was the changes from the baseline HbA1c level. The secondary end‐points were the changes of fasting and postprandial 2‐h glucose concentration, and the proportion of patients achieving a reduction in HbA1c >0.5%. Results: In the intention‐to‐treat analysis, ginsam treatment reduced HbA1c level significantly: −0.56 ± 0.25% in the 1500 mg group, −0.31 ± 0.12% in the 2000 mg group, and −0.29 ± 0.11% in the 3000 mg group (all P 0.5% differed significantly between the placebo group (11.1%) and the 1500 mg (27.8%) and 2000 mg (27.8%) groups. No severe adverse events were observed in any group. Conclusions: An 8‐week treatment with ginsam, a vinegar extract from P. ginseng, moderately improved HbA1c level and was well tolerated in type 2 diabetic patients with inadequate glycemic control. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrial.Gov (no. NCT01008163). (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040‐1124.2011.00185.x, 2011

Ions doped melanin nanoparticle as a multiple imaging agent

Abstract Background Multimodal nanomaterials are useful for providing enhanced diagnostic information simultaneously for a variety of in vivo imaging methods. According to our research findings, these multimodal nanomaterials offer promising applications for cancer therapy. Results Melanin nanoparticles can be used as a platform imaging material and they can be simply produced by complexation with various imaging active ions. They are capable of specifically targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing cancer cells by being anchored with a specific antibody. Ion-doped melanin nanoparticles were found to have high bioavailability with long-term stability in solution, without any cytotoxicity in both in vitro and in vivo systems. Conclusion By combining different imaging modalities with melanin particles, we can use the complexes to obtain faster diagnoses by computed tomography deep-body imaging and greater detailed pathological diagnostic information by magnetic resonance imaging. The ion-doped melanin nanoparticles also have applications for radio-diagnostic treatment and radio imaging-guided surgery, warranting further proof of concept experimental.This work was supported by the Industrial Technology Development Program (Project No. 10047679) funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MI, Korea) and the GRRC program of Gyeonggi province (GRRC 2016B02, Photonics-Medical Convergence Technology Research Center)