• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.22 no.9
• /
• pp.119-128
• /
• 2024

Purpose: his study examines the effect of message valence on consumer perceptions of sales messages and salesperson evaluations in retail contexts. In contrast to previous studies on the negativity effect, it examines the positivity effect, which implies that the effect of positive information may outweigh that of negative information in certain situations. In addition, the current research examines how the content of the sales message influences consumers' perceptions of salespeople. Research design and methodology: The study presents an analytical model in which a potentially altruistic salesperson transmits quality information as a form of cheap talk. Several predictions were derived from the model and then empirically tested in two experiments. Results: When the sales message is about relatively less expensive products, positive information can be more credible and diagnostic than negative information. In addition, positive sales messages about the less expensive products signal the salesperson's benevolence. Conclusion: This paper is one of the few studies to predict and empirically test the positivity effect. It also contributes to the literature on trust in salespeople by showing that message valence influences buyers' perceptions of salespeople.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.22
• /
• pp.9635-9641
• /
• 2014

Background: This retrospective study was aimed to investigate the efficacy of prophylactic agents in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving TACE and compare the difference between lamivudine and entecavir. Materials and Methods: A consecutive series of 203 HBV-related HCC patients receiving TACE were analyzed including 91 patients given prophylactic agents. Virologic events, defined as an increase in serum HBV DNA level to more than 1 log10 IU/ml higher than the nadir level, hepatitis flares due to HBV reactivation and progression free survival (PFS) were the main endpoints. Results: Some 48 (69.6%) reached virologic response. Prophylaxis significantly reduced virologic events (8.8% vs 58.0%, p=0.000) and hepatitis flares (1.1% vs 13.4%, p=0.001). Patients presenting undetectable HBV DNA levels displayed a significantly improved PFS as compared to those who never achieved undetectable HBV DNA. Prophylaxis and e-antigen positivity were the only significant variables associated with virologic events. In addition, prophylaxis was the only independent protective factor for hepatitis flares. Liver cirrhosis, more cycles of TACE, HBV DNA negativity, a lower Cancer of the Liver Italian Program score, non-metastasis and no hepatitis flares were protective factors for PFS. Prophylactic lamivudine demonstrated similar efficacy as entecavir. Conclusions: Prophylactic agents are efficacious for prevention of HBV reactivation in HCC patients receiving TACE. Achievement of undetectable HBV DNA levels displayed a significant capability in improving PFS. Moreover, persistent tumor residual lesions, positive HBV DNA and hepatitis B flares might be causes of tumor progression in these patients.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2003

The common features of the behavioral inhibition and the action monitoring that are considered as one of the executive functions were investigated using event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and source localization analysis. The electrophysiological correlates of behavioral inhibition and action monitoring ate analyzed when the subjects performed the Go/NoGo task. Two ERP components of behavioral inhibition termed as N200 and P300 in NoGo condition were differ from those of Go condition, that is the amplitudes of NoGo N200 and P300 are largest on the fronto-central region, which may reflect the inhibitory control of frontal lobe required in NoGo condition. The error-related negativity (ERN) observed on the fronto-central region when the subjects committed error was much larger in amplitude and faster in latency than those of the correct-related negativity (CRN), which may indicate that the signal of action monitoring is much more required for the error response. The correlation analysis for the ERP components of behavioral inhibition and action monitoring revealed the significant negative correlation among the latencies of NoGo N200 and P300 and the amplitude of ERN, which may reflects that the faster subjects inhibit response, the more monitor their own action. The close relationship between behavioral inhibition and action monitoring was also supported by the results of source localization analysis, which showed the common neural sources of NoGo N200 and ERN was anterior cingulate cortex.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.43-45
• /
• 2013

Background: The aim of this epidemiological study was to establish the laterality of breast cancer (BC) and its association with size, receptor status of the primary tumor and bone metastasis (BM) in a local population. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included cases of BC from Jan-2009 to Dec-2011 who were referred for metastatic work up or follow up survey with Technetium-99m MDP bone scan (BS) to the Nuclear Medicine Department of Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (KIRAN). A total of 384 patients out of 521 were included and all reviewed for age, primary tumor size (PTS), laterality, receptor status like estrogen receptor (ER) progesterone receptor (PR) and Her-2-Neu receptor, presence or absence of BM with sites of involvement and time interval between diagnosis of BC and appearance of BM. Results: The left to right sided BC proportion was significantly higher than unity (59%:41%; p<0.001). The right sided BC was observed in younger age group (46:52 years; p<0.0001) and with a smaller PTS than the left sided (3.43:4.15 cm; p<0.0001). The patients with BM had relatively higher negative receptor status with a significant predominance of right sided BC. The overall incidence of BM on BS was 28% and relatively higher in right than left breast (33%:24% p=0.068). The average number of BM sites was also significantly greater for the right side (6:4, P<0.0001). The % cumulative risk of BM in right breast was noted at significantly smaller PTS than left side with log rank value of 5.579; p<0.05. The Kaplan Meier survival plot for event free survival of BM in left sided BC was significantly higher than for the right side (log rank value=4.155, p<0.05), with an earlier appearance of BM in right BC. Conclusions: 1) A left sided predominance of BC was seen in local population; 2) right sided BC had a more aggressive behavior with extensive and earlier appearance of BM at relatively younger age, smaller PTS and receptor (s) negativity.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.194-201
• /
• 2020

Latency and amplitude are the measurement parameters of mismatch negativity (MMN). The values of the parameters vary sensitively with the stimulus paradigm. A paradigm using the frequency difference of sounds for the MMN study is well known. This study obtained the reference values of the parameters in healthy young adults by performing the MMN study using the frequency paradigm. The authors recruited ten healthy adults. Their average age was 25.5 years; three were female, and seven were male. On the auditory paradigm for the MMN study, the frequency of sound was 1000 Hz for the standard stimulus, and 1032 Hz for the deviant stimulus. The mean values of latency and amplitude of MMN were 202 ms and 1.88 ㎶ at Fz, 207 ms, and 1.46 ㎶ at Cz, 212 ms, and 1.10 ㎶ at C3, and 214 ms and 1.45 ㎶ at C4. There was no correlation between the latency and amplitude of MMN. This study presented the reference values of the latency and amplitude of the MMN using a standard paradigm that is easy to apply. This information may make the MMN useful for clinical applications and basic research.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.12
• /
• pp.4959-4964
• /
• 2015

Background: To assess the immunohistochemical expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) neu receptor in breast cancer and their associations with various clinicopathological characteristics. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of women who presented with primary, unilateral breast cancer in the Department of Medical Oncology at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Delhi, India during the period from January 2008 to December 2011. Data were retrieved from the medical records of the hospital including both early and locally advanced cancer cases. ER, PgR and HER2neu expression in these patients was assessed and triple negative patients were identified. Associations of triple negative and non-triple negative groups with clinicopathological characteristics were also evaluated. Results: A total of 1,284 women (mean age 52.1 years, 41.9% premenopausal) were included in the analysis. Hormone receptor positivity (ER and/or PgR) was seen in 63.4% patients, while 23.8% of tumors were triple negative. Only 23.0% were HER2 positive. Around 10.0% of tumors were both ER and HER2 positive. ER and PgR positivity was significantly associated with negative HER2 status (p-value <0.0001). Younger age, premenopausal status, higher tumor grade, lymph node negativity, advanced cancer stage, and type of tumor were strongly associated with triple negativity. Significantly, a smaller proportion of women had ductal carcinoma in situ in the triple negative group compared with the non-triple negative group (35.6% versus 60.8%, p-value<0.01). Conclusions: The present analysis is one of the largest studies from India. The majority of the Indian breast cancer patients seen in our hospital present with ER and PgR positive tumors. The triple negative patients tended to be younger, premenopausal, and were associated with higher tumor grades, negative lymph nodes status and lower frequency of ductal carcinoma in situ.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.3319-3322
• /
• 2013

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the risk factors for gastric cancer (GC). Any prognostic effect of HER-2 status in gastric lymph node metastasis in H. pylori positive cases is unknown. Materials and Methods: A total of 74 patients, 47 (64%) male, and 27 (34%) female, who had subtotal or total gastrectomy and also positive lymph nodes, were included in the study. Age range was 29-87 years, and median age was 58 years. HER-2 expression was assessed in both gastric resection samples and lymph node material with carcinoma metastasis of the same patient by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and silver in situ hybridization (SISH) methods. H. pylori status was examined in gastric materials of all patients. Relationships between HER-2 status in gastric cancers and lymph nodes and H. pylori status were investigated. Results: H. pylori was positive in 40 cases (54%), and negative in 34 (46%). While in the primary tissues of H. pylori positive cases, SISH positivity for HER-2 was observed in 13 cases (86%), SISH negativity was observed in 2 (14%), in metastatic lymph nodes 21 cases (72%) were SISH positive and 8 cases (28%) were SISH negative (P=0.005 and P=0.019, respectively). Initial CEA values were high in 18 cases (78%) with positive H. pylori and in 5 cases (22%) with negative H. pylori (P=0.009). While SISH data of patients were negative in 59 cases (80%) and positive in 15 cases (20%) in primary tissues, they were negative in 56 cases (75%) and positive in 18 cases (25%) in lymph nodes. Discrepancy between primary tissue and lymph node results was detected in 3 cases, in which SISH was negative in the primary tissue and HER-2 expression was positive in the lymph nodes. Conclusions: Clinical progression was poor in H. pylori positive cases with HER-2 negativity in primary gastric tissue, but HER-2 positivity in the lymph nodes. SISH positivity can be expected in H. pylori positive cases, and it may be predicted that these cases can benefit from trastuzumab treatment.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.238-246
• /
• 2005

We conducted this investigation to observe competitive adsorption phenomena among the heavy metals onto the available sorption sites of soil particle surfaces in sandy clay loam and clay soil collected from Nonsan city, Chungnam and Yoosung, Daejeon in Korea, respectively. Polluted and contaminated soils can often contain more than one heavy metal species, resulting in competition for available sorption sites among heavy metals in soils due to complex competitive ion exchange and specific sorption mechanism. And the adsorption characteristics of the heavy metals were reported that the selectivity for the sorption sites was closely related with electropotential and electro negativity carried by the heavy metals. The heavy metals were treated as single, binary and ternary systems as bulk solution phase. Adsorption in multi-element system was different from single-element system as Cr, Pb and Cd. The adsorption isotherms showed the adsorption was increased with increasing equilibrium concentrations. For binary and ternary systems, the amount of adsorption at the same equilibrium concentration was influenced by the concentration of individual ionic species and valence carried by the respective heavy metal. Also we found that the adsorption isotherms of Cd and Pb selected in this experiment were closely related with electronegativity and ionic potential regardless number of heavy metals in solution, while the adsorption of Cr carried higher valance and lower electro negativity than Cd and Pb was higher than those of Cd and Pb, indicating that adsorption of Cr was influenced by ionic potential than by electronegativity. Therefore adsorption in multi-element system could be influenced by electronegativity and ionic potential and valance for the same valance metals and different valance, respectively. But it still needs further investigation with respect to ionic strength and activity in multi-element system to verify sorption characteristics and reaction processes of Cr, especially for ternary system in soils.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.265-281
• /
• 2018

This study examines the effect of present and future situation on the temporal distance estimation to the future. The effect of present and future situation on time expression was verified. In Experiment 1, an experiment was conducted to investigated the effects of positivity/negativity situation of the present and the future on the judgment of subjective the distance to a certain future time. The results are as follows. When the present is positive and the future is negative, the future looks closer than the objective temporal distance and comes faster, When the present is negative and the future is positive, the future looks farther and comes slower. On the other hand, when the present and the future are both negative, the future looks coming slower. And when the present and the future are both positive, the future is expected to come faster. In Experiment 2, the cognitive and emotional aspects of subjective time through time expressions. It can be said to be 'the time of perseverance' in the sense of time for effort. On the other hand, when the present is positive compared to the future, the time seems go fast and we generally prefer to use cognitive expressions such as 'fast' and emotional expressions such as 'near' and 'pleasant' and 'flutter'. It is 'the time of availability', which means the time to enjoy and utilize.

• The Journal of Korean Association of Computer Education
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.11-23
• /
• 2004

Delivering documents within school itself, has been ignored, since it is not considered as a large organization such as government education agencies. It is necessary to change the procedures in delivering official documents within school's administrative services along with the outside administrative procedure changes. For the above purposes, this study can be practiced toward the actual schools therefore it is to design the framework for Distributable Official XML Document management and to implement official document management system based on JSP component. As a result, this system will reduce the negativity in producing the time critical official documents in educational activities. It is important at the fact that electronic document management procedures will incredibly improve the quality in school's administrative services.