The purpose of this applied paper is to determine positioning of laptops by perceptual map and laddering method. Data collection method was survey using questionnaire. First by using the views of computer experts of selected brands, including Sony, Acer, Asus, Dell and Msi, 5 among 20 attributes, which were considered more important, were selected through application of factor analysis technique. Then, after classification of these features by laddering technique, they were analyzed by using another questionnaire to determine the position of each brand in the perceptual map. We try to show factors and laptop brands position with regard two factors of price and quality in the resulted perceptual map.

Identifying the customer's values, needs, and goals is one of the key issues affecting successful marketing. Cosmetics products are of utmost importance among business sectors that have attracted the attention of companies. The purpose of this study is to identify the behavior of consumers buying hair color in Kermanshah city using a laddering technique. This research is applied in terms of goals and is qualitative and exploratory as regards with the methodology. The data were collected using interviews. The statistical population consisted of 30 customers of Kermanshah cosmetic labors who have been selected based on targeted method and interviewed afterwards. The laddering technique chosen for this research was straightforward technique. This means that, in reviewing customer purchasing behavior, at first, the essential characteristics of the product (hair color) for the customer were obtained, then the product benefits associated with those characteristics were extracted, and ultimately the instrumental and ultimate values regarding the purchasing of the products were analyzed. In order to identify the ultimate values of consumers, the Rokich endpoint and instrumental value checklist has been used. The findings of this study showed that “beauty”, “health”, “financial security”, “self-esteem” and “happiness” are the most important values among consumers of color products, respectively. In addition, “cost-effectiveness”, “unrepeated use of hair colors”, “less damage to skin and hair”, and “high shelf-life, softness and shining characteristics” were among the most important benefits to the consumers.

This study aims to outline the reasons behind using Instagram to provide insights and new information to businesses that are using it or will use it in the future, by deriving a Hierarchical Value Map (HVM) using the means-end theory and laddering technique. The statistical population of this study was students of Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran who were using Instagram. A total of 11 in-depth and face-to-face interviews were conducted and after analyzing the interviews, 49 ladders were extracted. By analyzing the direct and indirect relationships of their content, 19 elements including 6 features, 9 consequences, and 4 values ​​were identified and a hierarchical cumulative value map was developed. Among the chains of the map, easy access and not being filtered, creating fun and entertaining moments, socialization and fellowship, having a positive and good feeling, joy and happiness, and sharing pictures had the most association.

In recent years, social media has become an indispensable part of people’s life, which has encouraged managers to benefit from it in marketing activities. Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) applications like Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber, are popular social media among users. Since using any media in marketing requires a precise knowledge, in this paper, we have attempted to elicit attributes, consequences and ultimate values associated with MIM, by using Means-End Theory and its tool, namely Laddering Technique, which is a qualitative research method. The results of the research suggest that tranquility, hedonism, security, freedom, powerfulness, welfare, self-confidence and being energetic are among the values that explain the use of social media. At the final section, we provide some recommendations on how to use the MIM more effectively in marketing.

Customer satisfaction in every industry is one of the key factors in the success and sustainability of that industry, so that without the satisfaction of the customer, profitability can not be expected and continued. The mobile gaming industry is one of the new and growing industries in Iran, which is well received by Iranian consumers based on current statistics. For this purpose, using the Repertory Grid technique with 11 professional mobile gamers, deep interviews were conducted with laddering technique to discover the features and expectations of mobile games that would lead to their satisfaction with these games. In the first stage, for discovering the structures, the elements were presented to the interviewers as triple comparisons. Then, in the next step, the grading of the structures was done using the Likert scale by the participants. Performing triple comparisons and expressing differences and similarities led to the extraction of 189 primary structures, which in the next step, using content analysis of these structures, reduced to 30 secondary structures. These 30 structures were classified according to the diagram of the cluster analysis of the collective Repertory Grid based on statistical similarity in 6 distinct clusters including challenge, fair price, seriousness, creativity, interactivity, and proper design. As the main dimensions, the meaning of the concept Customer satisfaction with mobile games was extracted.

Information systems (such as databases and library software) are associated with various beneficiaries. In other words, It should be verified that how beneficiaries in the field of information systems think and what values experienced in the use of this systems. It is important to exploit the knowledge of all the beneficiaries (customers) of a product or service can help to promote the product and innovative service delivery, and finally, leads to value creation for all parties. This can be achieved by analyzing the knowledge (cognitive) structure of beneficiaries’ through exploring their ideas, preferences, beliefs and values during the use of a product or service. Purpose of this research is to investigate cognitive structure of triple groups of beneficiaries of Digital Libraries' (DLs) software in Iran (users, libraries and designers) based on Means-end Chain and sketch up their cognitive map using these systems. The cognitive structure can be identified through analyzing the mental models of beneficiaries and sketching their Hierarchical Value Map (or cognitive structure) which leads in value co-creation through identification of their needs and expectation of using these systems. This study is an applied research with cognitive approach using survey method and mixed method for data gathering. Research population included two groups of 1) DLs' software in Iran (Azarakhsh, Papyrus, and Sana) and 2) their beneficiaries (16 users, 21 libraries & 5 designers). Data gathering performed with interview (using Laddering Techniques) and directed content analysis (using MaxQDA software).Drawing Hierarchical Value Map (HVM) or cognitive map of beneficiaries figures three end values such as 1) "quick access to information resources", 2) "exploring (retrieving) needed information resources", and 3) "dissemination and sharing of information and knowledge" and mean value of "finding more information about information resources", functional consequences such as "avoid wasting of time in searching" and "promoting searching precision", and cognitive-sociological consequences such as "feeling comfort in using system" and "disambiguation of information needs". Designers of DLs' software should consider important values, consequences and attributes for their designing to meet essential needs and fundamental expectations from these systems

The emerging market of senior tourism in Iran requires fundamental studies in various dimensions, including the behavior of senior tourists. The cognitive system of individuals is an internal factor affecting consumer behavior. The purpose of this study was to extract the cognitive structure of Iranian Senior Tourists (ISTs) towards the accommodation as one of the important elements in the development of Iranian senior tourism. In other words, for the first time, this study presents the cognitive structure toward accommodation at more abstract levels of features, using the means-end chain (MEC) approach. Using Laddering Technique and in-depth interview with 30 senior citizens of Shiraz, the Hierarchical Value Map of ISTs was created, as a result of which six key MECs were identified. Thus, 11 accommodation characteristics, 9 outcomes and 3 dominant values that the ISTs wish to realize were identified. The attributes of cleanliness, location of accommodation, security and price, the consequences of maintaining health, good feeling and peace of mind, and the values of security and positive emotions were most frequently cited by senior tourists. Due to the lack of qualitative studies in the field of the behavior of ISTs, the findings of this study can be used as a key basis for segmenting the senior tourist market and formulating accommodation placement strategies in Iran.

One of the major challenges in gastric cancer (GC) chemotherapy is the phenomenon of multi-drug resistance (MDR). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its key molecules, transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) and SMAD2, play a central role in MDR occurrence.  Tamoxifen (TAM), a triphenylethylene derivative, can overcome MDR in human gastric cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TAM on 5-FU resistance of GC by suppressing the TGFβ1/SMAD2 signaling pathway and EMT. The MKN-45 cell line was subjected to treatment with 5-FU, TAM and a combination of both. The MTT assay was used to investigate the cytotoxic effects of 5-FU and TAM, and the DNA laddering technique was used to assess DNA fragmentation and apoptosis. Real-time RT-PCR examined the change in gene expression in EMT-related genes (SNAI2, VIM, TGFβ1 and SMAD2). The results of the present study indicated that not only TAM treatment significantly decreased the IC50 of 5-FU (P≤0.05), but also the addition of TAM to 5-FU induced apoptosis in the MKN-45 cell line. Treatment with TAM and 5-FU significantly inhibited TGFβ1 and TGFβ1-induced expression of EMT markers (VIM and SNAI2) in MKN-45 cells (P≤0.05). The reduction of TGFβ1 targets downstream of the SMAD2 signaling pathway reversed the process of EMT and significantly increased the sensitivity of MKN-45 cells to 5-FU. The results of the present study suggested that reversal of EMT-mediated MDR via the TGFβ1/SMAD signaling pathway using TAM may be a potential new therapeutic strategy to overcome chemoresistance to 5-FU during GC chemotherapy.

Pain is an unfortunate sentiment associated with damage to the body tissue. Nurses play a crucial role in pain management as one of the care principles. Hence, this study was conducted to determine nurses' knowledge and attitude about the pain management ladder method in 2020.

In this descriptive correlational study, 215 nurses from Kerman Payambar Azam Hospital were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected via a questionnaire that assessed the knowledge and attitudes toward the pain management ladder method, and analysis was performed using SPSS23.  

The results of data analysis showed that the participants' knowledge and attitude mean scores regarding the pain management ladder method were 17.08 ± 4.75 and 71.7 ± 6.88, respectively, at the moderate level. The results indicated a positive and significant correlation between knowledge and attitude toward pain management (r= 0.335, p= 0.001). Among the demographic variables, there was a significant correlation between the knowledge mean score and age, work experience, and workplace (p<0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between the attitude mean score and demographic variables.

Regarding our findings, the moderate level of nurses’ knowledge and attitude mean scores were inadequate to manage pain, and the presence of positive correlations between these two variables and some demographic characteristics need more attention for planning training courses.

DNA ladder contains DNA fragments of different length but with known size, used to determine the size of unknown DNA molecules. Different DNA ladders are available for expected DNA length. Conserved sequences were selected for design of primers to generate DNA fragments of known specific size. In this study, we describe a method by which DNA ladder was prepared based on multiplex PCR technique. Different lengths of DNA fragments were amplified using the primers designed according to the 1216-2136 sequence extent of lambda phage DNA. Target DNA fragments were amplified using multiplex PCR and extracted. The results showed an amplified lambda phage DNA at particular target sites by using 1 forward and 6 different reverse primers (for 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000bp) for the successful amplification. This method would be more cost effective than commercial DNA molecular weight markers.