Do Consumers Penalize the Parent Brand When Brand Extensions Fail?: The Role of Implicit Theories

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Usage of Low-dose Glimepiride (0.5 mg) and Metformin Combination in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Continuum in Indian Setting

Background: To understand the approach of clinicians about the treatment pattern, dosage, efficacy and safety of the combination of low-dose glimepiride (0.5 mg) and metformin fixed-dose combination (FDC) in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) continuum in Indian settings. Methods: This case-based questionnaire survey included health care professionals (n = 112) across India, who were prescribing glimepiride and metformin FDC. Data were collected from the medical records and analyzed. Results: The data of 1,403 patients with T2DM were included. The mean age was 49.1 years and 68.4% of patients were males. The median duration of T2DM was 36 months. A total of 86.7% of patients received glimepiride and metformin FDC as first-line therapy. The most commonly prescribed (71.5%) dosage of glimepiride and metformin was 0.5 mg/500 mg. The titration of the dose was performed in 231 patients, of which 82.7% required up-titration and 17.3% required down-titration. The mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) levels reduced significantly (mean change: 1.2%, 36.5 mg/dL and 50.2 mg/dL,respectively) post-treatment. The hypoglycemic event and weight gain were reported in 7.7% and 9.5% of patients, respectively. Overall physician’s global evaluation of efficacy and tolerability was rated good to excellent in the majority of patients (>85%). Conclusion: Results demonstrate low-dose (0.5 mg) glimepiride and metformin FDC is effective in achieving glycemic control through lowering HbA1c, FPG and PPG levels with acceptable safety outcomes

An Empirical Examination of the Moderators of Direct Versus Indirect Comparative Advertising

This research examines the relative effectiveness of different kinds of comparative advertising. The effects of direct and indirect advertising are discussed and empirically tested. Extant research focuses on the differential effects of comparative and non-comparative advertising. However, with the growing popularity of comparative advertising in recent years, it becomes crucial to examine different kinds of comparative advertisements more closely to provide guidelines to marketing managers in the application of comparative advertising. In the marketing literature, very little has been known about how advertising-specific moderators may influence the effectiveness of direct and indirect comparative advertising. In this dissertation, different advertising-specific moderators are investigated using theoretical support drawn from the literature and marketing theories. The purpose of this research is to develop and empirically examine a variety of hypotheses regarding variables that can potentially moderate the effectiveness of direct versus indirect comparative advertising. Using four experimental studies, this research investigates four moderating variables on the effectiveness of direct versus indirect comparative advertisement: advertising valence, attribute typicality, attribute alignability, and message claim type. All four studies use a 2 (advertising directness, manipulated) x 2 (advertising valence, attribute typicality, attribute alignability or message claim type, all manipulated) between-subject design. In Study 1, it is demonstrated that indirect comparative advertisements generate more positive attitude towards the brand if the advertisements are positively-worded while there is no difference between the effectiveness of direct and indirect comparative advertisements if the advertisements are negatively-worded. In Study 2, it is shown that direct comparative advertisements generate more positive attitude towards the brand than indirect comparative advertisements, when the attributed featured in the advertisement was considered typical by consumers. In Study 3, it is demonstrated that when the comparative advertisement features nonalignable differences, indirect comparative advertisements generate more positive consumer responses than direct comparative advertisements. Finally, in Study 4, the results indicate that direct comparative advertisements generate more positive consumer responses than indirect comparative advertisements when the comparative advertisement contains factual claims. When the comparative advertisement contains narrative claims, indirect comparative advertisements generate more positive consumer responses than direct comparative advertisements. These four studies have provided evidence how different advertising characteristics influence the effects of direct versus indirect comparative advertisement on consumer responses and offering marketing managers crucial information when and how different types of comparative advertisements should be utilized. Based on the findings, managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed

Photographic data privacy: sharing sexually explicit imagery online

This research takes an exploratory examination of the creation and dissemination (both planned and unplanned) of sexually intimate imagery via digital technology. We take an interpretive approach to understand the impact that sharing private imagery with an unintended audience has on the creator

Comparison of predictive values of Mannheim peritonitis index, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation-II and Portsmouth-POSSUM scoring systems for prognosis of mortality in patients with perforation peritonitis

Background: Perforation peritonitis has emerged as one of the very common cause of surgical emergencies, particularly in developing countries like India. If left untreated for long due to improper prognosis or late diagnosis, perforation peritonitis may prove potentially fatal with a high mortality and morbidity rate. Scoring systems like APACHE-II (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation), p-POSSUM (Portsmouth-POSSUM) and MPI (Mannheim peritonitis index) may serve as simple, critical, and efficient prognostic tools in predicting the mortality in patients with perforation peritonitis. Thus, the aim of the current investigation was to examine the usefulness and accuracy of these scoring systems for predicting the mortality rate in perforation peritonitis.Methods: Current study was a prospective observational comparative study conducted at department of general surgery, KK Hospital, Lucknow. Detailed clinical and lab investigations of the participating patients were done and their demographic details were documented. Using history, clinical examination and lab values p-POSSUM, APACHE-II and MPI scores were calculated. Scores of each scoring system were statistically analyzed in prognosticating the mortality rate.Results: Mean age of the participating patients was 41.24±19.32 years. Abdominal pain and vomiting were observed as the most common symptoms in majority of patients.  No mortality was observed in patients with ≤20 MPI score, ≤20 APACH-II scores and ≤55 p-POSSUM score. Whereas mortality rate was observed to be 21.53% in patients with >20 MPI score, 82% in >20 APACH-II scores and 78% in >55 p-POSSUM score.Conclusions: APACHE II and p-POSSUM scores had a higher sensitivity and specificity in comparison to MPI for predicting the mortality in perforation peritonitis

Comparative Advertising in the Global Marketplace: The Effects of Cultural Orientation on Communication

This research examined the efficacy of one type of communication strategy, comparative advertising, in communicating product superiority to consumers across different cultures. In individualist cultures such as the United States, comparative advertising that highlights the superiority of the target brand is seen as more effective. However, in collectivist cultures such as Thailand, comparative advertising that highlights the similarity between brands is more likely to be effective. In addition, comparative advertising was more believable for unfamiliar brands in individualist cultures whereas comparison for familiar brands was more believable in collectivist cultures.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39712/3/wp328.pd

SOMES: A REVIEW ON COMPOSITION, FORMULATION METHODS AND EVALUATIONS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF “SOMES” DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

Many drugs are available in the market for several diseases, disorder or even for a condition, but it is difficult to select a suitable carrier to attain maximum bioavailability and potential for a potent drug. Attaining a controlled and sustained release of a drug is purely focused on the selection of a carrier (natural, synthetic and hybrid) like nanosomes. Nanosomes have become a prominent tool in the field of pharmacy. Nanosomes are small uniform structures which deliver the drug to the specific targeted site, which mainly depends upon the presence of ligands, shape, size and surface chemistry. Nanosomes are available in various types which include Niosomes, Liposomes, Electrosomes, Aquasomes, Transfersomes, Phytosomes, Enzymosomes, Ethosomes, Invasome and Sphingosomes. In general, all these nanosomes are quite similar in nature with minute differences in their vesicular characteristics and composition. This review traces various ‘somes’ composition and their role in the formulation, applications, advantages, disadvantages, common formulation procedures and evaluation parameters

Effects of narrative-persuasive frames on Twitter regarding blood donation: pride versus empathy and people versus numbers

Blood donation in Spain is an altruistic, voluntary and unpaid process. Despite its social and health significance, this process has suffered a standstill in recent years that has been aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic. To promote the generation of new donors, it is necessary to carry out campaigns aimed at younger age groups to improve the information they have and reduce their fears. This research analyses the effectiveness of different frames of a persuasive narrative to increase blood donation. These frames have been constructed from two variables: an emotional appeal (empathy awakened by a recipient protagonist versus the pride experienced by a donor protagonist) and the identification of the beneficiary of the donation (identifiable victim versus generic beneficiary). The manipulated narratives incorporate features of edutainment and are adapted to the tone and language of the target population, young people, in the format of a Twitter thread. To test the effectiveness of these narratives, an experimental study was conducted among 600 participants aged 18–30 years. The results show the effectiveness of the emotional appeal, specifically in the threads that are led by a recipient of the blood donation. This appeal induces greater identification among people who perceive themselves as a little or somewhat similar to the protagonist. This outcome in turn positively affects information recall, the intention to share the message and the attitude towards donation, and reduces the perceived risk. All in all, it increases the donation intention. The data confirm a moderated mediation model with identification as a mediator and similarity as a moderator. On the contrary, no statistically significant effects were found regarding the second manipulated variable. No evidence was found that the use of an identifiable beneficiary in the donation appeal obtained better results than the call to donate supported by generic data