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PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the impact of customer engagement in sales promotion on purchase intention. Utilizing value co-creation and customer engagement theories, the authors tested a model that specifies the effect of customer engagement in sales promotion on purchase intention, through its impact on perceived value and customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe model was tested with the PLSc-SEM approach.FindingsEngaging customers to store's offers by giving them the possibility to choose the type of promotional discount that suits their personal preferences and needs is positively associated with purchase intention, and that this relationship is mediated in serial by perceived value and customer satisfaction.Practical implicationsInvolving customers in sales promotion provides opportunities for retail front line management, as well as for customer relationship management to attract attention and interest.Originality/valueWhile previous research concerned situations where firms and customers collaborate in the co-creation of value, its role in the sales promotion process is yet unclear. This study starts filling this gap by taking a closer look at customer participation in the sales promotion process and its impact on customer purchase intention.

It is well established that inhalation exposure to xylene causes significant learning impairments and neurobehavioral toxicity by altering lipid environments in nerve membranes and affecting neurotransmitter levels. Royal jelly (RJ) has been shown to exhibit potent antioxidant properties that can protect the hippocampus from oxidative damage. The present research was designed to investigate the neuroprotective potential of RJ in mitigating hippocampal injury induced by short-term and long-term xylene inhalation exposure. In this experiment, 48 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to short-term and long-term groups, each consisting of control, RJ, xylene, and xylene + RJ treatments. Rats were exposed to xylene via inhalation for 6 h daily at a concentration of 500 ppm, while RJ was administered orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg. After 8 weeks, spatial memory and anxiety level were evaluated. Apoptosis and cell necrosis in the hippocampus were identified using the TUNEL method and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Additionally, oxidative stress biomarkers and the expression of apoptosis-related genes in hippocampal tissue were investigated. The results revealed that xylene exposure caused a significant impairment in spatial working memory performance, as reflected by reductions in arm entries and alternation percentage, along with a significant suppression of antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, TAC, SOD, and GPx) compared to the control group. Additionally, xylene exposure significantly heightened anxiety-like behaviors, elevated MDA levels, increased the number of TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells in the hippocampus, and upregulated the expression of apoptotic markers including caspase-3, Bax, and p53 genes, alongside promoting necrotic cell death. Co-treatment with RJ significantly improved behavioral alterations, enhanced antioxidant activity, and decreased hippocampal apoptosis/necrosis. In conclusion, RJ mitigates xylene-induced neurotoxicity via antioxidant and anti-apoptotic pathways, suggesting therapeutic potential against xylene-related cognitive and neuronal damage.

Tilting the balance in favor of antioxidant agents could increase infertility problems in obese and diabetic individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative stress status in semen of men with type 2 diabetes and obesity to investigate whether excessive amounts of oxidative stress, as a result of diabetes and obesity, influence infertility potential. A case-control study was conducted in men (n=150) attending the Infertility Center of Royan Institute between December 2016 and February 2017. Participants were categorized into four groups; normal weight (BMI<25 kg/m ) and non-type-2 diabetic (control=40), obese and non- type-2 diabetic (obese=40), non-obese and type- 2 diabetic (Nob-DM=35), and obese and type-2 diabetic (Ob-DM=35). The semen analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization criteria. Oxidative stress, DNA fragmentation, sperm apoptosis, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were evaluated in semen samples of men. Serum glucose, HbA1c, cortisol, and testosterone levels were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Compared with the control group, sperm motility, progressive motility, and normal morphology were significantly decreased in the obese, Nob-DM, and Ob-DM groups (P<0.01). The obese, Nob-DM, and Ob-DM groups showed significantly lower levels of TAC and higher amounts of oxidative stress, early apoptotic sperm, and the percentage of DNA fragmentation as compared with the control group (P<0.05). Testosterone concentration was decreased in the obese, Nob-DM, and Ob-DM groups when compared with healthy individuals (P<0.05), whereas the cortisol level was significantly increased in the Nob-DM and Ob-DM groups in comparison to the obese and control group (P<0.01). Increased amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and DNA fragmentation in men affected by either diabetes or obesity could be considered prognostic factors in sub-fertile patients, alerting physicians to an early screen of male patients to avoid the development of infertility in prone patients.

Background Cleft in the mitral valve leaflet is a primary cause of congenital mitral regurgitation, stemming from developmental anomalies in the mitral valve and frequently associated with other congenital heart defects. Concurrent presence of cleft in mitral valve leaflet with atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect is relatively rare. Echocardiography, especially transesophageal echocardiography, is essential in diagnosing cleft mitral valve leaflet and related congenital heart defects, providing critical, detailed imagery for accurate assessment. This study presents a young female patient whose anterior mitral cleft, along with atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect, was revealed through three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography. Case presentation A 25-year-old Iranian female, experiencing progressive dyspnea and diminished physical capacity over 3 months, was referred to our hospital. Initial examination and transthoracic echocardiography indicated severe mitral regurgitation. Further evaluation with transesophageal echocardiography corroborated these findings and identified a cleft in the anterior mitral valve leaflet, coupled with mild left ventricular enlargement and significant left atrial enlargement. The complexity of the patient’s condition was heightened by the diagnosis of cleft mitral valve leaflet in conjunction with atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect, showing the complex nature of congenital defects. Conclusion This case emphasizes the critical role of transthoracic echocardiography in diagnosing cleft of mitral valve leaflet and associated cardiac anomalies, showcasing its superiority over transthoracic echocardiography for detailed visualization of cardiac structures. The identification of multiple congenital defects highlights the necessity for a comprehensive diagnostic approach to manage and treat patients with complex congenital heart diseases effectively. Future research should aim to refine diagnostic methodologies to enhance patient outcomes for cleft of mitral valve leaflets and related congenital conditions.

Background Prenatal corticosteroid administration is known to be an effective strategy in improving fetal pulmonary maturity. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of maternal betamethasone administration on fetal pulmonary and other arteries Doppler velocity and the correlation between RDS development and Doppler indices results. Methods Fifty one singleton pregnancies between 26 and 34 gestational weeks with a diagnosis of preterm labor were included in the exposed group and received betamethasone. Fifty one uncomplicated pregnancies were included in the non-exposed group. Fetal pulmonary, umbilical and middle cerebral arteries Doppler parameters were evaluated before and 24 to 48 h after steroid administration in the exposed group and two times at same intervals in the non-exposed group. Maternal records were matched to neonatal charts if delivery happened, and demographic and outcome data were abstracted. Results When compared with the nonexposed group, fetuses treated with corticosteroids demonstrated significantly decreased umbilical artery Pulsatility index (PI) and significantly increased the middle cerebral artery PI, pulmonary artery Acceleration time (AT) and pulmonary artery AT/ET (Ejection time), while all other indices remained similar. We found significantly decreased pulmonary artery AT in the fetuses with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) compared to those that did not. Conclusions The results of our study showed that maternal antenatal betamethasone administration caused significant changes in the fetus blood velocity waveforms and also affected the blood flow in the pulmonary artery which led to an increase in the pulmonary artery AT and AT/ET. Among those fetuses with RDS, we found a significant decrease in the pulmonary artery AT, but we did not observe any pulmonary artery AT/ET differences.

This study investigates laser-induced damage in thin silicon (Si) wafer ablation both experimentally and numerically. A 40-W continuous-wave CO 2 laser is employed as the volumetric heat source. Experiments are conducted that involve variations in the laser cutting speed from 5 to 20 mm/s and the number of passes from one to three while maintaining a constant laser power of 40 W for investigation. The measured output parameters include surface morphologies, heat-affected zone (HAZ), and kerf width. For the first time, a finite element solution based on the brittle–ductile transition (BDT) phenomenon is introduced to predict temperature-stress gradients in the laser cutting region. Johnson–Cook (J-C) plasticity, along with the introduced damage criteria, are employed to analyse the cutting characteristics. The results show that the lowest CO 2 laser speed and minimal number of passes enhance Si wafer quality. Nevertheless, increasing cutting speed and the number of passes significantly intensify material ablation and oxidisation due to elevated laser heat input. Using optimal parameters, numerical analysis shows a high level of agreement with experimental findings. Transverse/longitudinal stresses correlate with temperature, while the longitudinal stress is substantially lower compared to the transverse stresses due to thermal expansion and the direction of heat transfer. Following that, computed assessments of compressive and tensile stresses are used to refine specific laser parameters and locations for experimental setup.