A cross validation of Consumer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) with Private Labels in Spain

Molinillo,S., Ekinci, Y., Japutra, A. (2014)'A cross validation of Consumer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) with Private Labels in Spain'. in Martínez-López, Gázquez-Abad, J.C. and Sethuraman, R. J.A. (eds.) Advances in National Brand and Private Label Marketing. Second International Conference, 2015. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, pp. 113-125In recent years a number of Consumer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) models and measurement scales have been introduced in the branding literature. However, examinations of brand equity in Private Labels (PL) are rather limited. This study aims to compare the validity of the two prominent CBBE models those introduced by Yoo and Donthu (2001) and Nam et al. (2011). In order to test the models and make this comparison, the study collected data from 236 respondents who rated private labels in Spain. A list of 30 different fashion and sportswear PL was introduced to respondents. These brands do not make any reference to the retail store in which they are sold. Research findings suggest that the extended CBBE model introduced by Nam et al. (2011) and Ciftci et al. (2014) is more reliable and valid than Yoo and Donthu’s model for assessing PL. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and -2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle- and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 per cent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P < 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P < 0·001) in low- compared with middle- and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P < 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P < 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P < 0·001). Conclusion Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone

Formulation and evaluation of simvastatin polymeric nanoparticles loaded in hydrogel for optimum wound healing purpose

Usama Farghaly Aly,1 Heba A Abou-Taleb,2 Ahmed AH Abdellatif,3,4 Nahla Sameh Tolba21Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, EL-Minia, Egypt; 2Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University (NUB), Beni-Suef, Egypt; 3Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Al Qassim, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt Purpose: The aim of this study was to formulate a hydrogel loaded with polymeric nanoparticles (PoNPs) of simvastatin (SIM) for topical wound healing application. Materials and methods: The SIM PoNPs were prepared by using the nanoprecipitation method to improve the drug solubility and skin permeation. Furthermore, drug content, solubility, particle size, surface charge, and transmission electron microscopy of the prepared PoNPs were evaluated. Then, the PoNPs were loaded on hydrogel, and physical characteristics, in vitro release, and ex vivo permeation of the hydrogel were evaluated. Finally, the prepared gel was applied on rat wounds, and a histopathological study was performed. Results: The results showed that the drug content in the PoNPs was 86.4%. The PoNPs were spherical in shape with a smooth surface and a uniform size distribution. The particle size was 268.4&plusmn;2.6, polydispersity index was &le;0.302, and zeta potential was -33&plusmn;1.67&nbsp;mV. The hydrogel loaded with SIM PoNPs was homogenous, and the pH was accepted and compatible with the skin. Moreover, the viscosity and spreadability assured its ease of application. The drug content was 97.25&plusmn;0.02%. Furthermore, about 81% of SIM was released within 24&nbsp;hours, while in the ex vivo permeation study 69.19% of SIM passed through the skin after 24&nbsp;hours. Finally, the histopathological studies confirmed the efficacy of the SIM PoNPs-loaded hydrogel in wound healing due to the formation of the normal epithelial layer on day 11 after wound creation.Conclusion: The hydrogel loaded with SIM PoNPs showed a good efficacy in accelerating the healing of the rat wound with complete epithelialization and minimal inflammatory cell infiltration. Keywords: simvastatin,&nbsp;Carbopol&reg; gel, ex vivo permeation, nanoprecipitaion method, wound healin

The evolution of no-cost resistance at sub-MIC concentrations of streptomycin in Streptomyces coelicolor

At the high concentrations used in medicine, antibiotics exert strong selection on bacterial populations for the evolution of resistance. However, these lethal concentrations may not be representative of the concentrations bacteria face in soil, a recognition that has led to questions of the role of antibiotics in soil environments as well as the dynamics of resistance evolution during sublethal challenge. Here we examine the evolution of resistance to sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MIC) of streptomycin in the filamentous soil bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor. First, we show that spontaneous resistance to streptomycin causes an average fitness deficit of ~21% in the absence of drugs; however, these costs are eliminated at concentrations as low as 1/10 the MIC of susceptible strains. Using experimental evolution, we next show that resistance to >MIC levels of streptomycin readily evolves when bacteria are exposed to sub-MIC doses for 500 generations. Furthermore, the resistant clones that evolved at sub-MIC streptomycin concentrations carry no fitness cost. Whole-genome analyses reveal that evolved resistant clones fixed some of the same mutations as those isolated at high drug concentrations; however, all evolved clones carry additional mutations and some fixed mutations that either compensate for costly resistance or have no associated fitness costs. Our results broaden the conditions under which resistance can evolve in nature and suggest that rather than low-concentration antibiotics acting as signals, resistance evolves in response to antibiotics used as weapons