The roles of environmental collective efficacy and allocentrism on green car purchase intention

The deteriorating environmental quality and low green car sales in Malaysia highlight the imperative need to explore the role of consumers and the driving factors that influence their green car purchase intention in order to increase the demand for green cars. Therefore, based on the social cognitive theory, this study assessed the relationships of external environmental factors (social influence, green labelled, and economic incentives) and personal factors (environmental attitude, environmental knowledge, and past green purchase behavior) with green car purchase intention. Furthermore, the mediating impact of environmental collective efficacy and the moderating impact of allocentrism on the aforementioned relationships were also investigated. I This study employed multi-stage sampling method which included stratified sampling and systematic mall intercept strategies. This study successfully surveyed 417 consumers-aged 18 years and above - who visited the showrooms of Honda, Toyota, and Nisan in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. The results of the structural model supported 7 out of 13 direct hypothesized paths that involved the relationships of green labeling, economic incentives, environmental attitude, environmental collective efficacy, and green car purchase intention as well as the relationships of economic incentives, environmental attitude, environmental knowledge, and environmental collective efficacy. Additionally, the results demonstrated the mediating impact of environmental collective efficacy between economic incentives, environmental attitude, environmental knowledge and green car purchase intention. The results further revealed a significant relationship between social influence and green car purchase intention at low allocentric level, which demonstrated the moderating impact of allocentrism. The results of this study provide important insights to green marketing researchers, marketers and policy makers. Finally, the implications and limitations of the study as well as the suggestion for future research were discussed

Multiple Perpetrator Sexual Assault: The Relationship Between the Number of Perpetrators, Blame Attribution, and Victim Resistance

Sexual assault has been and continues to be a prevalent public health and social problem that can lead to severe ramifications for the victim. There has been growing research on multiple perpetrator sexual assault (MPSA) and how it qualitatively differs from single assailant offenses. However, there is a paucity of studies investigating the differences between sexual assault perpetrated by duos versus three or more individuals and how it affects victim behavioral responses and blame attribution. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the perceived level of victim blame and the number of perpetrators in MPSA cases contingent on the degree of victim resistance exhibited. Firstly, it was hypothesized that the level of victim blame will increase as the number of perpetrators increase. Secondly, it was predicted that the level of perceived victim blame will increase as the displayed level of victim resistance decreases. Using a two (degree of victim resistance) by three (number of perpetrators) design, a sample of 713 individuals were randomly assigned to one of six conditions. Results indicated that the level of reported victim blame was highest in the lone offender condition, but there were no differences between groups when more than one assailant was present. The level of perceived victim blame was higher in the low victim resistance condition compared to the high victim resistance condition. Understanding the characteristics of MPSA and how it affects observer blame attribution may aid in the training and education of professionals working with MPSA victims

No association between serum cholesterol and death by suicide in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, or major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND: Previous research on serum total cholesterol and suicidality has yielded conflicting results. Several studies have reported a link between low serum total cholesterol and suicidality, whereas others have failed to replicate these findings, particularly in patients with major affective disorders. These discordant findings may reflect the fact that studies often do not distinguish between patients with bipolar and unipolar depression; moreover, definitions and classification schemes for suicide attempts in the literature vary widely. METHODS: Subjects were patients with one of the three major psychiatric disorders commonly associated with suicide: schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, and major depressive disorder (MDD). We compared serum lipid levels in patients who died by suicide (82 schizophrenia, 23 bipolar affective disorder, and 67 MDD) and non-suicide controls (200 schizophrenia, 49 bipolar affective disorder, and 175 MDD). RESULTS: Serum lipid profiles did not differ between patients who died by suicide and control patients in any diagnostic group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support the use of biological indicators such as serum total cholesterol to predict suicide risk among patients with a major psychiatric disorder

IDENTIFYING CRITICAL KINEMATIC PARAMETERS FOR BETTER GOLF PUTTING

In modern golf competition, putting is one of the crucial parts of the game. It has been reported that putting accounts for about 40% of all golf shot played in tournaments (Gwyn & Patch, 1993). Wiren (1992) also indicated that, on average, putting constitutes 38% of all golf strokes in competition and improving putting skills is th e fastest way to lower the score. However, it is also true that most recreational golfers neglect the putting and seldom practice it hard. Despite this revealing statistics and the obvious importance of competent putting, much of the pedagogical literature is based on the observations and anecdotal evidence provided by top players and coaches (Paradisis & Rees, 2004). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify critical kinematic parameters of a putt by comparing putts performed by elite and novice golifers, and nongolfers. The findings might provide valuable information for improving putting performance

The Mediating Effect of Consumers’ Purchase Intention: A Perspective of Online Shopping Behavior among Generation Y

Young consumers spend most of their time online in comparison to the working adults due to their great potential of buying power as well finding that online shopping is more convenient. The objective of this study is to investigate factors determining online purchase intention among the university students whereby variables such as attitude, subjective norm, trust, purchase intention and behavior were tested. Total of 800 questionnaires were distributed and 662 questionnaires were usable. A quantitative research was undertaken through the distribution of survey questionnaires and the data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test the relations among variables. The analyses have proven that purchase intention has functioned effectively as a mediator between the independent variables (attitude, subjective norm and trust) and dependent variables (online shopping behavior).The results of this study offer some new frontiers in supporting as well as enriching more studies in the scope of online shopping behaviors. This study contributes to the dynamics of the causative relations between examined variables and highlights the significance of attitude, subjective norm, trust and consumer behavior in ascertaining the purchase intention in the context of Malaysian online purchases. Keywords: Purchase intention, Attitude, Subjective norm, Trust, Consumer behavio

Monitoring long-term ocean health using remote sensing: A case study of the Bay of Bengal

Oceans play a significant role in the global carbon cycle and climate change, and the most importantly it is a reservoir for plenty of protein supply, and at the center of many economic activities. Ocean health is important and can be monitored by observing different parameters, but the main element is the phytoplankton concentration (chlorophyll-a concentration) because it is the indicator of ocean productivity. Many methods can be used to estimate chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration, among them, remote sensing technique is one of the most suitable methods for monitoring the ocean health locally, regionally and globally with very high temporal resolution. In this research, long term ocean health monitoring was carried out at the Bay of Bengal considering three facts i.e. i) very dynamic local weather (monsoon), ii) large number of population in the vicinity of the Bay of Bengal, and iii) the frequent natural calamities (cyclone and flooding) in and around the Bay of Bengal. Data (ten years: from 2001 to 2010) from SeaWiFS and MODIS were used. Monthly Chl-a concentration was estimated from the SeaWiFS data using OC4 algorithm, and the monthly sea surface temperature was obtained from the MODIS sea surface temperature (SST) data. Information about cyclones and floods were obtained from the necessary sources and in-situ Chl-a data was collected from the published research papers for the validation of Chl-a from the OC4 algorithm. Systematic random sampling was used to select 70 locations all over the Bay of Bengal for extracting data from the monthly Chl-a and SST maps. Finally the relationships between different aspects i.e. i) Chl-a and SST, ii) Chl-a and monsoon, iii) Chl-a and cyclones, and iv) Chl-a and floods were investigated monthly, yearly and for long term (i.e 10 years). Results indicate that SST, monsoon, cyclone, and flooding can affect Chl-a concentration but the effect of monsoon, cyclone, and flooding is temporal, and normally reduces over time. However, the effect of SST on Chl-a concentration can't be minimized very quickly although the change of temperature over this period is not very large.Remote Sensing of the Ocean, Sea Ice, Coastal Waters, and Large Water Regions 2013 (24 September 2013, Dresden, Germany

A STUDY ON THE GRIP FORCE DURING PUTTING STROKE

There are lots of variables to affect the control of ball movement during golf putting. Among several variables, it is believed that grip force during putting stroke is one of the important variables. However, there is not much quantitative evidence from published literature (Delay 1997, Gwyn 1993). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify the grip force by comparing putts performed by elite and novice golfers and to identify the relationship between kinematic parameters and the grip force at 16 different parts of subjects’ right and left hand at each putting phase

An Open-Label, Multicenter, Phase I, Dose Escalation Study with Phase II Expansion Cohort to Determine the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Preliminary Antitumor Activity of Intravenous TKM-080301 in Subjects with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Lessons learnedTKM-080301 showed a favorable toxicity profile at the studied dose.TKM-080301 targeting PLK1 through small interfering RNA mechanism did not demonstrate improved overall survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma compared with historical control. Preliminary antitumor activity as shown in this early-phase study does not support further evaluation as a single agent.BackgroundPolo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Knockdown of PLK1 expression by PLK1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) in an HCC cell line showed reduced expression in RNA-induced silencing complex and a reduction in cell proliferation.MethodsA 3 + 3 dose escalation plus expansion cohort at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was implemented. Patients with HCC, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤2, and Child-Pugh score A received TKM-080301 as an intravenous infusion once every week for 3 consecutive weeks, repeated every 28 days.ResultsThe study enrolled 43 patients. The starting dose of TKM-080301 was 0.3 mg/kg, and MTD was declared at 0.75 mg/kg. Following the development of grade 4 thrombocytopenia in two subjects on the expansion cohort, the MTD was redefined at 0.6 mg/kg. Four patients did not have any evaluable postbaseline scan. Of the other 39 subjects who had received at least 0.3 mg/kg, 18 subjects (46.2%) had stable disease (SD) by independent RECIST 1.1 criteria. By Choi criteria, eight subjects (23.1%) had a partial response (PR). For 37 assessable subjects, with 2 subjects censored, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.04 months. Median survival for the whole study population was 7.5 months.ConclusionTKM-080301 was generally well tolerated. In this early-phase study, antitumor effect for TKM 080301 was limited. Further evaluation as a single agent in large randomized trials is not warranted