In-store shopping with location-based retail apps: perceived value,consumer response,and the moderating effect of flow

Bricks-and-mortar retailers have recently begun to utilize mobile applications delivering location-based services (LBS) as part of their omni-channel strategy to provide consumers with new in-store experiences. In light of this trend, this study examined how consumers’ value perception influences their intention to use LBS in the store and their behavioral responses as well as the moderating effect of flow on the relationships between the perceived benefits/costs and the perceived value of LBS usage. The results indicated that benefits (perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment) and costs (perceived complexity and perceived privacy risk) were influential antecedents shaping consumers’ value perception of LBS, which in turn impacted their intention to use LBS and behavioral responses (search and purchasing using LBS). Also, we found that the negative relationship between the perceived costs and perceived value was attenuated in high flow states than in low flow states

     

Determinants of the intention to use Buy-Online,Pickup In-Store (BOPS): The moderating effects of situational factors and product type

Despite the wider introduction of the buy online and pick up in-store (BOPS) service by retailers, research on BOPS is still sparse, especially those from the consumer perspective. This paper employs the scenario-based factorial survey method to investigate how the perceived characteristics of innovation and the perceived risk of online shopping influence the consumers’ intention to use BOPS while also considering the moderating effects of situational factors (location convenience) and product type (involvement). Our findings indicated that the consumer perceptions of relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, and risks involved in online shopping are important antecedents to intention to use BOPS, and that these relationships were significantly moderated by locational convenience and product involvement. The implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed in detail.     

Analysis of oligosaccharides in beer using MALDI-TOF-MS

Oligosaccharides in four different brands of beer (Cass, Hite, Budweiser, Miller) were systematically analysed with three different dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) isomer matrices (2,4-DHB, 2,5-DHB, and 2,6-DHB) using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Different experimental conditions, such as dilution (up to 1000-fold) and cationisation agents (sodium chloride or sodium trifluoroacetate) were analysed. No ionised peaks of oligosaccharides were observed with 2,4-DHB matrix. 2,6-DHB was more effective than 2,5-DHB in most of the investigated concentration ranges. 2,6-DHB with 4-fold dilution was the most effective. In certain cases, a cationisation agent was necessary to detect the signals of the oligosaccharides, and sodium chloride provided greater ionisation than sodium trifluoroacetate.     

Effect of steaming,freezing, and re-steaming on the texture properties of non-glutinous rice cakes

The effects of steaming time (6, 8, and 10 min), freezing storage period, and re-steaming for thawing on the textural properties of non-glutinous rice cakes (baekseolgi) were investigated. As the steaming time increased, the rice cakes softened. In particular, the sample that was steamed for 10 min showed lower hardness than those steamed for shorter periods. A short period of steaming was insufficient for water bound to the surface of the starch granules to penetrate the granules in the dough. During the re-steaming process of the frozen non-glutinous rice cake samples, the retrogradation of starch and water syneresis contributed to the increased hardness of non-glutinous rice cakes.     

Physicochemical properties and bioactivity of brown seaweed fucoidan prepared by ultra high pressure-assisted enzyme treatment

The effects of ultra-high pressure (UHP, 100 MPa, 40, 24 h) processing and enzyme treatment on the physicochemical properties and anticoagulant activity of fucoidan obtained from Undaria pinnatifida sporophyll (UPS) were investigated. Crude UPS fucoidan (F _UPS ) with an average MW of 877 kDa was slightly depolymerized by UHPassisted Tunicase treatment, yielding fucoidan with a lower MW (600–800 kDa). UHP-enzyme treatment decreased the sulfate, fucose and galactose contents of F _UPS but increased its glucose content. From FT-IR spectrum, UHP-enzyme treatment was found not to cause a structural change on S=O and C-O-S. After UHP-enzyme treatment, the sulfate content and average MW of F _UPS decreased with the increase of Tunicase concentration. It was found that among the UHP-enzyme-treated fucoidans, F _UPS -T0.3-U (Tunicase 0.3% treatment+UHP treatment) possessed the highest anticoagulant activity. F _UPS -T0.3-U appeared to inhibit blood coagulation via intrinsic pathway. With the increase of sulfate content in F _UPS , activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT) showed a tendency of increase. APTT and TT had the highest values in F _UPS -T0.3-U in which the sulfate concentration was 24%, but on the contrary decreased at a sulfate concentration of above 24%. This result indicates that there is an optimum sulfate concentration for the anticoagulant activity of fucoidan. Consequently, UHP-assisted enzymatic treatment was found to be helpful for the improvement of anticoagulant activities of fucoidan.     

Event graph modeling of a homogeneous job shop with bi-inline cells

In modern electronics Fabs, most production lines consist of inline cells that have processing machines along the conveyor line inside. In this type of Fab, a large number of different products are loaded concurrently, which requires a production simulator to analyze the planning and scheduling of the Fab operations. In order to build such a simulator, (1) a typical TFT-LCD Fab is simplified into a job shop consisting only of bi-inline cells and (2) the job shop is represented as an event graph model. This type of job shop consisting only of machines of the same type is referred to as homogeneous job shop. The event graph model was verified using SIGMA and sample input data. However, if a production line contains uni-inline cells as well as bi-inline cells, we need a heterogeneous job shop model and this requires further study.     

Endoscopic application of EGF-chitosan hydrogel for precipitated healing of GI peptic ulcers and mucosectomy-induced ulcers

The gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy has become a standard diagnostic tool for GI ulcers and cancer. In this study we studied endoscopic application of epidermal growth factor-containing chitosan hydrogel (EGF-CS gel) for treatment of GI ulcer. We hypothesized that directional ulcer-coating using EGF-CS gel via endoscope would precipitate ulcer-healing. EGF-CS gel was directly introduced to the ulcer-region after ulceration in acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer (AAU) and mucosal resection-induced gastric ulcer (MRU) rabbit and pig models. The ulcer dimensions and mucosal thicknesses were estimated and compared with those in the control group. Healing efficacy was more closely evaluated by microscopic observation of the ulcer after histological assays. In the AAU model, the normalized ulcer size of the gel-treated group was 2.3 times smaller than that in the non-treated control group on day 3 after ulceration (P < 0.01). In the MRU model, the normalized ulcer size of the gel-treated group was 5.4 times smaller compared to that in the non-treated control group on day 1 after ulceration (P < 0.05). Histological analysis supported the ability of EGF-CS gel to heal ulcers. The present study suggests that EGF-CS gel is a promising candidate for treating gastric bleeding and ulcers.