Customers’ service experience is related to the perceived state in the process of interacting with the target at various channel touchpoints (Kaushal & Yadav, 2023). Furthermore, positive customers’ service experiences can increase the repurchase intention of buyers by strengthening the interconnection and cooperation between buyers and suppliers in business-to-business (B2B) firms and reinforcing corporate competitive positioning.

Miniature pigs have been marked as a source of providing organs for xenotrans plantation. In order to produce gnotobiotic miniature pigs in large numbers and perform experiments, it is necessary to implement a specially designed isolator that provides a space completely isolated from the outside, enabling researchers to control the microbiological environment. Conventional isolators have gaps on the floor net that cause accidents such as pigs getting their hooves caught. Some pigs have shown maldevelopment and abnormalities in the hind limbs. The goal of this study was to design an isolator floor for secure the sole of a foot while swine had not received undue stress with slippery flooring. We created a gradient on the isolator floor and used a single-body panel to eliminate gaps and used a checkered panel to prevent pigs from slipping. We also implemented an exhaust at the end of the gradient to collect excrement and urine. Raising miniature pigs for five months in the isolator floor invented by this study. This study compared the serum chemistries, cortisol levels to physiologic evaluations and lesions on their soles. Serum cortisol value was higher in conventional isolator floor pigs than newly developed isolator floor pigs. We observed lesions on their soles of a foot but we found no lesions and abnormalities in new type of isolator floor. This new type of isolator floor can secure the sole of a foot in pigs. The current design is developed for miniature pigs in isolator floor, but it can easily be adapted for other animals or other fields.

We present JHKS near-infrared CCD photometric study for the Galactic open clusters NGC 1641 and NGC 2394. These clusters have never been studied before, and we provide, for the first time the cluster parameters; reddening, distance, metallicity and age. NGC 1641 is an old open cluster with age 1.6 ± 0.2 Gyr, metallicity [Fe/H]= 0.0 ± 0.2 dex, distance modulus(m-M)0=10.4 ± 0.3 mag(d=1.2 ± 0.2 kpc), and reddening E(B-V)=0.10±0.05 mag. The parameters for the other old open cluster NGC 2394 are estimated to be age=1.1±0.2 Gyr, [Fe/H]=0.0±0.2 dex, (m-M)0=9.1±0.4 mag(d=660±120 pc), and E(B-V)=0.05±0.10 mag. The metallicities and distance values for these two old open clusters are consistent with the relation between the metallicities and the Galactocentric distances of other old open clusters. We find the metallicity gradient of 53 old open clusters including NGC 1641 and NGC 2394 to be Δ[Fe/H]/ΔRgc=-0.067 ± 0.009 dex kpc-1.

We present JHK-band near-infrared photometry of the star clusters in the dwarf irregular galaxy IC 5152. After excluding possible foreground stars, a number of candidate star clusters are identified in the near-infrared images of IC 5152, which include young populations. Especially, five young star clusters are identified in the(J-H, H-K) two color diagram and the total extinction values toward these clusters are estimated to be Av=2-6 from the comparison with the theoretical values given by the Leitherer et al.(1999)'s theoretical star cluster model.

We present BV CCD photometry for the open clusters Czernik 24 and Czernik 27. These clusters have never been studied before, and we provide, for the first time, the cluster parameters; reddening, distance, metallicity and age. Czernik 24 is an old open cluster with age 1.8 ± 0.2 Gyr, metallicity [Fe/H]=-0.41 ± 0.15 dex, distance modulus (m-M)0=13.1 ± 0.3 mag (d=4.1 ± 0.5 kpc), and reddening E(B-V)=0.54 ± 0.12 mag. The parameters for Czernik 27 are estimated to be age=0.63 ± 0.07 Gyr, [Fe/H]=-0.02 ± 0.10 dex, (m-M)0=13.8 ± 0.2 mag (d=5.8 ± 0.5 kpc), and E(B-V)=0.15 ± 0.05 mag. The metallicity and distance values for Czernik 24 are consistent with the relation between the metallicity and the Galactocentric distance of other old open clusters. We find the metallicity gradient of 51 old open clusters including Czernik 24 to be Δ[Fe/H]/ΔRgc = -0.064±0.009 dex kpc-1.

This study aims to investigate the flora of Mt. Cheonma (Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea), including Korean endemic, rare and endangered plants. To support the biodiversity and usefulness of this investigation, we checked the red list plants, floristic regional indicator plants, climate change adaptation target plants and naturalized plants, and compared composition of plant species in Mt. Cheonma with nearby mountains. Totally, we performed 22 field investigations from April 2012 to October 2014. The number of vascular plants in this region is 433 taxa and comprised of 94 families, 266 genera, 378 species, 2 subspecies, 46 varieties, and 7 forms. Among them, there are 13 endemic plants designated by Korean Forest Service, whereas only 10 taxa are endemic species by Korean Ministry of Environment (KME). According to the IUCN criteria, there are 12 rare and endangered plants composed of 9 Least Concerned (LC), 2 Vulnerable species (VU), and one Endangered species (EN) found by Korea National Arboretum (KNA). Meanwhile, 8 taxa including 7 Least Concerned (LC) were found in Red List of KME. The floristic regional indicator plants designated by KME were 49 taxa. In addition, there are 14 taxa in The Adaptable to Climate Change Plant List designated by KNA, while only 19 taxa are naturalized plants. Generally, there are 190 common taxa in Gwangju Mountains area, and only 51 taxa are distributed in Mt. Cheonma.