Customer loyalty among daily disposable contact lens wearers

Background: Optometric practices offer contact lenses as cash sale items or as part of monthly payment plans. With the contact lens market becoming increasingly competitive, patients are opting to purchase lenses from supermarkets and Internet suppliers. Monthly payment plans are often implemented to improve loyalty. This study aimed to compare behavioural loyalty between monthly payment plan members and non-members. Methods: BBR Optometry Ltd offers a monthly payment plan (Eyelife™) to their contact lens wearers. A retrospective audit of 38 Eyelife™ members (mean. ±. SD: 42.7. ±. 15.0 years) and 30 non-members (mean. ±. SD: 40.8. ±. 16.7 years) was conducted. Revenue and profits generated, service uptake and product sales between the two groups were compared over a fixed period of 18 months. Results: Eyelife™ members generated significantly higher professional fee revenue ( P<. 0.001), £153.96 compared to £83.50, and profits ( P<. 0.001). Eyelife™ members had a higher uptake of eye examinations ( P<. 0.001). The 2 groups demonstrated no significant difference in spectacle sales by volume ( P= 0.790) or value ( P= 0.369). There were also no significant differences in contact lens revenue ( P= 0.337), although Eyelife™ members did receive a discount. The Eyelife™ group incurred higher contact lens costs ( P= 0.037), due to a greater volume of contact lens purchases, 986 units compared to 582. Conclusions: Monthly payment plans improve loyalty among contact lens wearers, particularly service uptake and volume of lens purchases. Additionally the greater professional fees generated, render monthly payment plans an attractive business model and practice builder.

Diet seasonality and overlap of Chrysichthys species on Lake Kainji, Nigeria

Seasonality and overlap of diet of Chrysichthys species in Kainji Lake was studied for a period of one year. A total of two hundred and forty five Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus and one hundred and nineteen Chrysichthys auratus longifilis were used during the study. Chrysichthys species food items ranged from plant to animal materials. Seasonal variations of diet showed that plant material dominated the diet of both species in rainy and dry seasons. While zygoptera and Lumbiculus were absent in the diet of Chrysichthys auratus longifilis in rainy season, zygoptera and nematode were absent in dry season. There was significant correlation (p< 0.01) of the items between the two species. There was also high level of association between their diets, which indicated that both species have similar diet. Lake Kainji is a good environment for the survival of Chrysichthys species. KEYWORDS: Chrysichthys species, overlap, diet, seasonality, Kainji Lake, Nigeria

Preparation, characterization and gas sensing properties of lead tetra-(tert-butyl)-5,10,1 5,20-tetraazaporphyrin spin-coating films

A spin-coated film of lead tetra-(tert-butyl)-5,10,15,20-tetraazaporphyrin complex (PbTAP(t-Bu)(4)) was obtained and characterized by IR spectra, absorption spectra and atomic force microscopy. The response and recovery characteristics of the film to NH3, NO2 and C2H5OH vapor were investigated at room temperature. In addition, the reversibility and stability of the film to NH3 were also studied. The results indicate that the PbTAP(t-Bu)(4) derivative can be exploited as an NH3 sensor at room temperature. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 643 - Korrekturen zur Neupublikation der Aufsätze Max Horkheimers aus der Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung und Vorwort zur Neupublikation 1968 (p. IX 23.1-20-IX 24.1-9)

1. Friedrich Pollock: Verzeichnis der Änderungen in den Essays nach der Bearbeitung durch Alfred Schmidt, 4 Blatt; 2. Derselbe: Eigenhändige Korrekturnotiz zum Manuskript Schmidt, 1 Blatt; 3. Derselbe: Eigenhändige Notiz über Verteilung von Korrekturen, 1 Blatt; 4. Derselbe: Ergänzungen zu den Korrekturen vom 15. und 20.03.1968. a) 8 Blatt b) 8 Blatt; 5. Korrekturen, 2 Blatt; 6. Friedrich Pollock [?]: Verzeichnis der Essays von Max Horkheimer und der Korrekturen. a) 8 Blatt b) Teilstücke, 2 Blatt; 7. Derselbe [?]: Verzeichnis der Korrekturen, 3 Blatt; 8. Derselbe: Eigenhändige Gesprächsnotiz, 1 Blatt; 9. Derselbe: Eigenhändige Gesprächsnotiz, 1 Blatt; 10. Derselbe: "Sprachregeln", eigenhändige Notiz, 1 Blatt; 11. Derselbe: "Bedenkliche Stellen", eigenhändiges Verzeichnis, 1 Blatt; 12. Derselbe: "Vorschlag für den Inhalt von Max Horkheimers Essays I", eigenhändiges Verzeichnis, 1 Blatt; 13. Derselbe: Eigenhändige Gesprächsnotiz Friedrich Pollocks - Max Horkheimers über Pro und Contra, Neuveröffentlichung, 1 Blatt; 14. S. Fischer Verlaf: Schätzung des Umfangs der Essys, 1 Blatt; 15. Friedrich Pollock: Verzeichnis der Essays von Max Horkheimer, 3 Blatt; 16. Handschriftliches Verzeichnis der Aufsätze, Reden und Schriften Max Horkheimers, 4 Blatt; 17. "Max Horkheimer Essays" Verzeichnis, 1 Blatt; 18. Schönbach, Peter: 1 Brief mit Unterschrift an Max Horkheimer Frankfurt, 11.09.1964, 7 Blatt; 19. Liste der Anmerkungen Frau Dr. Adornos zu den Aufsätzen Prof. Horkheimers in der Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung, 2 Blatt; 20. Adorno, Gretel: 4 Briefe mit Unterschrift an Max Horkheimer, Korrekturvorschläge Frankfurt am Main 1962-1963, 5 Blatt; Vowort zur Neupublikation 1968 der Aufsätze aus der Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung (GS 3, S. 14-19); 1964-1968; Veröffentlicht in: Max Horkheimer "Kritische Theorie", Frankfurt am Main 1968, Seite IX- IXV; 1. Entwürfe Juli- September 1968; 2. Kalb, Peter E.: 1 Brief an Max Horkheimer und Beilage, Frankfurt am Main, 02.08.1968, 2 Blatt; 3. Klappentext der Buchausgabe, Korrekturfahne mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen; 4. Adorno, Theodor W.: 1 Brief mit Unterschrift an Max Horkheimer, Frankfurt, 17.07.1968, 1 Blatt; 5. Horkheimer, Max: "Der neuste Angriff auf die Metaphysik". Sonderdruck der Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung VI, 1937, mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen; 6. Derselbe: "Autoritärer Staat" Teilstücke aus der Gedenkschrift für Walter Benjamin, 1942. Als Typoskript vervielfältigt, 21 Blatt; 7. "Zitate aus 'Autoritärer Staat' heute", 4 Blatt; 8. Schmidt, Alfred: "Zur Idee der kritischen Theorie" = Nachwort zur Buchausgabe. Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen von Max Horkheimer, 38 Blatt; 9. N.N.: Ergänzungsvorschläge zu dem Nachwort von Dr. Schmidt, 3 Blatt;