Although there has been much conceptual evidence of the positive link between customer equity and firm’s performance, comparison of relationships between two firms based on customer equity and firm profitability is limited. However, there is an increasing demand for research that investigates the relationship between firms in the competitive market structure. Therefore, the goal of this research is to examine the role of customer equity on firm profitability by comparing two firms, in a customer equity setting. The result shows that the effect of newly acquired CE of the second top company is stronger than that of the top company while the effect of retained CE of the top company is stronger than that of the second top company. Overall, the results offer strategic implications for firms to implement a different customer equity strategy in this competitive market structure.

The Social Network System (SNS) has possesses unique characteristic which distinguish it in important ways from traditional communications environment because the social network system allows a fundamentally different environment for communication marketing activities. The traditional marketing communications model was uni-directional, due to the fact that mass communication is a one-to-many process whereby a company transmits content through a medium to a large group of people. Today, communication paradigm has shifted online and is many to many, known as a bi-directional strategy. Bi-directional strategy mediates communications model in which 1) consumers can interact with the medium and with each other, 2) companies can provide content to the medium and interact with each other, 3) companies and consumers can interact, and in the most radical departure from traditional marketing environments to determine how brand relationship is affected. In this paper, we use the social network system as a new marketing communication medium. We use the key Mohr & Nevin’s communication strategies: frequency, direction, content, and modality to measure communication quality, and then implement communication quality by using the attitude and e-WOM intentions. Rich understanding of SNS communication quality can help focus the managerial efforts on vital communication factors, which stimulate positive assessments of communication behaviors. Furthermore, practitioners may better understand which dimensions of communication facets/aspects are more appropriate

Given the pervasive use of brand personification by marketers, it is surprising that there has been extremely limited research directly examining the effects of brand personification. In this article, we attempt to fill this gap in part by exploring how personified brand, in contrast to an objectified brand, might affect consumers’ response. Also, previous research have studied mainly on the visual or combined (visual-verbal) brand personification without differentiating the two types of brand personification. Therefore, this study tries to focus on the verbal brand personification which has not been studied extensively. And there are two types of verbal brand personification: external and internal image. So this study validates the effect of internal (kind) or external (looking good) verbal brand personification separately in the series of two experiments. Study 1 tests the effect of internal verbal brand personification on the consumer evaluation using product brand. Specifically, we test the moderating effect of brand knowledge between verbal brand personification and consumer evaluation and explore the underlying mechanisms (brand intimacy, psychological discomfort) about how the interaction effect of personification level and brand knowledge occurs. Study 2 tests the effect of external verbal brand personification on the consumer evaluation using service brand. Specifically, we test the effect of need-for-cognition on attitude towards personified brand ad and additionally explore the underlying mechanisms (perceived novelty, cognitive resistance) about how need-for-cognition influences. This research could provide useful guidelines for the marketers to utilize personification method when planning the head copy or slogan for advertisement. Therefore, marketers are better able to make an effective brand personification strategy through understanding the boundary conditions and mechanisms about the impact of brand personification based on the findings of this study.

In this study, bulk nickel-carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites are synthesized by a novel method which includes a combination of ultrasonication, electrical explosion of wire in liquid and spark plasma sintering. The mechanical characteristics of the bulk Ni-CNT composites synthesized with CNT contents of 0.7, 1, 3 and 5 wt.% are investigated. X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy techniques are used to observe the different phases, morphologies and structures of the composite powders as well as the sintered samples. The obtained results reveal that the as-synthesized composite exhibits substantial enhancement in the microhardness and values more than 140 HV are observed. However an empirical reinforcement limit of 3 wt.% is determined for the CNT content, beyond which, there is no significant improvement in the mechanical properties.

In this study, Fe-Cu-Ni-Mo-C low alloy steel powder is consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. The internal structure and the surface fracture behavior are studied using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy techniques. The bulk samples are polished and etched in order to observe the internal structure. The sample sintered at 900oC with holding time of 10 minutes achieves nearly full density of 98.9% while the density of the as-received conventionally sintered product is 90.3%. The fracture microstructures indicate that the sample prepared at 900oC by the SPS process is hard to break out because of the presence of both grain boundaries and internal particle fractures. Moreover, the lamellar pearlite structure is also observed in this sample. The samples sintered at 1000 and 1100oC exhibit a large number of tiny particles and pores due to the melting of Cu and aggregation of the alloy elements during the SPS process. The highest hardness value of 296.52 HV is observed for the sample sintered at 900oC with holding time of 10 minutes.

Although expression of foreign genes in a crop species has been target techniques for powerful protection against insect pests, classical breeding programs using varietal resistance of a crop are still being processed. It is, however, frequently difficult to find key products expressed from resistance-related genes in the variety, and those action mechanism. Here, an unterminated story about seed of a mungbean (Vigna radiata) variety with high resistance against the adzuki bean weevil and the bean bug is introduced. The two insects cannot survive on seeds of the variety, although they well develop on susceptible ones. Molecular markers linked to the resistance were selected through BAC library screening and near isogenic lines, and finally a bruchid resistance gene was suggested after map-based cloning approaches. Starvation and chemicals were suggested for a resistant mechanism and a related factor through feeding and behavior experiments, respectively. The seed flour was extracted with organic solvents, and isolated into several fractions on chromatography. Several peaks on HPLC in a fraction were related with the high mortality of the bean bug. A partial structure in an isolated chemical was observed before full identification.

Flowering responses under night interruption (NI) condition were determined in Doritaenopsis ‘Fuller’s Sunset ’, ‘Green Beer’, ‘Little Gem Stripes’, and ‘Queen Beer’ during their reproductive stages. Plants were grown under 10/14 h ambient light/dark (control), 10 h ambient light with night interruption (22 : 00-02 : 00 HR) at low light intensity of 3-7 μmol • m−2 • s−1 (LNI) and 10 h ambient light with NI at high light intensity of 120 μmol • m−2 • s−1 (HNI) conditions after flower spike emergence. Time to visible bud and flowering decreased more in the plants grown under HNI than those grown under LNI or control conditions. The number of buds or flowers increased in the plants grown under both LNI and HNI conditions compared to those grown under control condition for all cultivars. The tallest plants at flowering were in the HNI group in ‘Queen Beer’, ‘Green Beer’, and ‘Fuller’s Sunset’, however, the plant height was not significantly different among the treatments in ‘Little Gem Stripes’. NI with low light intensity or high light intensity can be used effectively to promote flower opening, but not with low light intensity at flower development stage. To obtain early flowering with high quality plants using NI treatment during their reproductive stage, high light intensity strategies could be suggested in Doritaenopsis cultivation.

This study was performed to evaluate antimicrobial resistance of food-borne pathogens isolated from retail meat in Korea. A total of 157 samples of beef, pork, and chicken were collected and analyzed for E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter. Resistances to tetracycline were declined in accord with reduced usage of tetracycline in live stock production. E. coli stains from chicken meat had higher multi-drug resistance ratio than strains from other meat. One extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli and two ESBL producing Salmonella were identified in this study. ESBL producing Salmonella strains were confirmed to carry CTX-M-1 type genes.

The cross-sexual movement in ads implies that a gender role stereotype that was not easily changed in society has been steadily changed lately. In general, changes happen after a phenomenon. If the cross-sexual trend in ads brings about changes in the society of eastern culture where a gender role stereotype is relatively stronger than western culture, the social impact of cross-sexual advertising will be quite influential. From such perspective, this study attempted to empirically validate the effect of cross-sexual advertising which many companies are now utilizing increasingly. Specifically, this study was intended to identify the boundary conditions for the effect of cross-sexual advertising. This study validated the moderating effect of consumers' self-construal and need-for-uniqueness on the relationship between the ad type and the consumer evaluation. Furthermore, it clarified what the underlying cognitive mechanism was for the effect of cross-sexual ads.

Although several causal studies investigate the relationships between customer equity (CE) and firm performance, there has been some debate about whether their positive relationship is valid over long time horizons and across firm/industry environments. In this paper, we investigate the dynamic effect of CE on firm performance. Using individual-level purchase data for an online retailer, we find a weak relationship between CE and firm profitability, which is not consistent with previous assumptions and beliefs. Additional analysis to resolve this gap shows that in the early stage when a firm’s growth rate is relatively high the firm is required to manage many newly enrolled customers. This means that newly acquired customer equity (NCE) has a larger effect than retained customer equity (RCE) on firm profitability in the early stage. In contrast, in the mature stage when a firm’s growth rate is stable and low the firm should retain its customers. This means that RCE has a larger effect than NCE on firm profitability in the mature stage. Thus, marketing managers need to leverage the drivers of acquisition and retention to continue to grow overall CE and firm performance.

This study was performed to evaluate antimicrobial resistance of food-borne pathogens isolated from retail meat in Korea. A total of 157 samples of beef, pork, and chicken were collected and analyzed for E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter. Resistances to tetracycline were declined in accord with reduced usage of tetracycline in live stock production. E. coli stains from chicken meat had higher multi-drug resistance ratio than strains from other meat. One extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli and two ESBL producing Salmonella were identified in this study. ESBL producing Salmonella strains were confirmed to carry CTX-M-1 type genes.

This study is intended to examine the motor skill learning and treadmill exercise on motor performance and synaptic plasticity in the cerebellar injured rats by harmaline. Experiment groups were divided into four groups and assigned 15 rats to each group. GroupⅠ was a normal control group(induced by saline); GroupⅡ was a experimental control group(cerebellar injured by harmaline); GroupⅢ was a group of motor skill learning after cerebellar injured by harmaline; GroupⅣ was a group of treadmill exercise after cerebellar injured by harmaline. In motor performance test, the outcome of groupⅡ was significantly lower than the groupⅢ, Ⅳ(especially groupⅢ)(p<.001). In histological finding, the experimental groups were destroy of dendrities and nucleus of cerebellar neurons. GroupⅢ, Ⅳ were decreased in degeneration of cerebellar neurons(especially groupⅢ). In immunohistochemistric response of synaptophysin in cerebellar cortex, experimental groups were decreased than groupⅠ. GroupⅢ's expression of synaptophysin was more increased than groupⅡ, Ⅳ. In electron microscopy finding, the experimental groups were degenerated of Purkinje cell. These result suggest that improved motor performance by motor skill learning after harmaline induced is associated with dynamically altered expression of synaptophysin in cerebellar cortex and that is related with synaptic plasticity.

Previous studies indicated that Matsumuraeses phaseoli and M. falcana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) are separate species since a few differences were observed in genitalia morphology and female sex pheromone composition. A clear difference was detected in the DNA sequences of cytochrome oxidase I of the two species separately collected in different plants and regions. A hybridization test also showed that a post-zygotic reproductive isolation occurred between the species. In field monitoring, however, both species have been caught simultaneously and together in the separate sex pheromone traps installed for the two species around neighboring soybean and red bean fields. Molecular marker-assisted identification with several adults sampled from the trapped insects showed that only ca. 40% of M. phaseoli adults identified as the species by genitalia morphology was the M. phaseoli, while ca. 97% of M. falcana adults identified as the species was the M. falcana. The result indicated that the observation of genitalia did not make a decisive criterion for classification of the insects. Conclusively, it suggested that the sex pheromones of the two species should be studied more precisely although there is a possibility that the two species are hybridized in fields as in laboratory, and speciation is under process.

Iron catalyzes the production of free radicals, which can be related to a variety of pathological events, such as cancer and aging. The effect of dietary iron was investigated on formation of colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) induced by azoxymethane in male F344 rats. Animals were fed three different diets, including iron-deficient (3 ppm Fe), iron-normal (35 ppm Fe), and iron-overloaded (350 ppm Fe) diets for eight weeks. During the first and second weeks of the experiment, animals received two subcutaneous injections of azoxymethane (AOM, 15 mg/kg body weight) to induce ACF. After staining with methylene blue, the total numbers of ACF and aberrant crypts (AC) were counted on the colonic mucosa. Analysis of blood and serum was performed using a blood cell differential counter and an automatic serum analyzer. Iron-deficient diets induced a significant decrease in red blood cell counts and the values of hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular volume, while an iron-overloaded diet did not affect these values. The iron-overloaded diet induced an increase in deposits of iron in the liver of rats, as determined by the ICP method and Perl’s staining. The numbers of ACF per colon showed a slight increase in iron-overloaded or iron-deficient rats, without statistical significance, compared to iron-normal rats. The number of total AC per colon in iron-overloaded rats was significantly higher than that in iron-normal rats (p<0.05). The number of large ACF (≥ 4 AC per ACF) in iron-overloaded rats was also significantly higher than that in iron-normal rats (p<0.05). These results suggest that dietary iron intake may play an important role in colon carcinogenesis in humans and animals.

This study was carried out to investigate effect of herbal extracts mixtures on hair growth in an alopecia model of C57BL/6 mice. There were 4 experimental groups including distilled water (DW, negative control), 25% ethanol(EtOH, vehicle control) and two herbal extract mixtures (HE-1 and HE-2). HE-1 included Polygonum and Brassica campestris extracts and HE-2 included Mulberry root and Gardenia extracts. The 6 weeks-old C57BL/6 male mice were shaved with an electric clipper and the test compounds were topically treated with 0.2 ml per mouse daily for 3 weeks. The hair re-growth was photographically determined at days 0, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21. The number of mast cells which is an important modulator of hair growth was counted in 1 cm of dorsal skin section of mice. There were no clinical signs in all experimental groups. As the results of photometric analysis, the topical application of the herbal extracts (HE-1 & 2) for 2 weeks to dorsal skin accelerated hair re-growth remarkably faster than that of DW group (p＜0.05). Activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was significantly increased in EtOH group compared to DW group (p＜0.05). Both herbal extract mixtures also increased the ALP activity, but it was not significantly different from DW. Treatment of mice with HE-2 significantly increased mast cell population compared to EtOH. Taken together, these results suggest that herbal extract mixtures used in this study may have hair-growth promoting activities and can be useful for treatment for male pattern baldness or alopecia in humans.

The appearance and physicochemical characteristics of a native jujube (called Yak jujube) and Bokjo jujube were compared in this study. Our results revealed that the native jujube had smaller size, lower hardness, and higher contents of sugar, crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, dietary fiber, and calcium contents, when compared to that of Bokjo jujube. Therefore, native jujube is softer and sweeter, with higher general nutrient content, despite being smaller than that of Bokjo jujube.

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) is a hardy perennial herbaceous plant of the Urticaceae family and has been grown as a fiber crop in several countries including Korea for many centuries. Ramie leaves also have been traditionally used as a major ingredient of a type of rice cake called ‘Song-pyun’ in the Southwest area of Korea, especially Yeong-Gwang province. Despite its economic importance, the molecular genetics of ramie have not been studied in detail yet. Genetic resources of ramie were widely collected from domestic local sites by Bioenergy Crop Research Center (RDA) and Yeong-Gwang Agricultural Technology Center. For the systematic and efficient management of the genetic resources, we developed SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers of ramie. To do this, we generated microsatellite-enriched genomic DNA libraries using magnetic bead hybridization selection method. 247 non-redundant contigs containing SSR motif were generated using nucleotide sequences of 376 clones from the libraries. Primer sets were designed from the flanking sequences of the repeat motif. Finally, we selected 10 SSR markers, possibly showing polymorphism among the genetic resources. Results on the genotype analysis of the ramie genetic resources using the SSR markers will be presented.

Genome sequencing researches for considerable numbers of crops and wild plants are being developed. Cytogenetic researches according to chromosome number and size are essential to confirm and comprehend ploidy level and genome size before genome sequencing project is actually conducted. Cytogenetic researches on six food crop plants were carried out by DAPI staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method. Fagopyrum esculentum Moench showed 2n=2x=16, each chromosome length of 1.42㎛ to 1.77㎛, total chromosome length of 13.31㎛, and karyotypic formula of 2n=8m; Phaseolus angularis W.F. Wight, 2n=2x=22, 2.01㎛ to 3.84㎛, total 28.03㎛, 2n=9m+2sm, Perilla frutescens var. japonica Hara, 2n=2x=40, 1.73㎛ to 2.76㎛, total 44.36㎛, 2n=5m+13sm+2st. Chromosome sizes of the other three species such as, Panicum miliaceum L., 2n=2x=36, total chromosome length of 30.83㎛, Sesamum indicum L., 2n=2x=26, 27.39㎛, lpomoea batatas L., 2n=2x=30, total 33.51㎛ were too small for each chromosome type to be identified and analyzed. The result of FISH analysis using 5S and 45S rDNA probe showed species-specific chromosome locations in the genome. These preliminary analyses were carried out to decide which food crop to prioritize for genome sequencing. This work was supported by the “Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (No.PJ009837), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.