The role of retailers during brand scandals: insights from a case study

PurposeThe role of retailers in influencing consumer attitude during a brand scandal is quite complex, as retailers are in direct contact with both marketers and consumers. The purpose of the exploratory research is to propose a theoretical model to capture the influences retailers exercise on consumers during brand scandals.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach has been adopted in the study. The study employs the grounded theory approach on the data collected by conducting in-depth interviews with 25 retailers.FindingsFour contextual conditions and six behavioral antecedents of the retailer's role in the context of the brand scandal were identified. Then, the study finds that companies tend to follow two broad approaches during a brand scandal to address retailers' queries and apprehensions. On these bases, the study proposes a six-pronged typology to better understand retailers' role in shaping consumers' brand perception.Originality/valueExisting literature has not paid adequate attention to this aspect of retailers' role in influencing consumer choices during brand scandal. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no prior research which investigates the role and influence of retailers in shaping consumer attitude during brand scandals. It is important to underline that the current research advocates retailers' significant role during a performance-based brand scandal. Specifically, the authors explored a health-related defective scandal of a well-known food brand. In addition, the study focuses on traditional grocery retailers, which already have special relationships with their consumers. Based on retailer perspectives, the authors' contribution is also updating the discussion of branding theory in case of scandals. The identified variables and constructs may be used for empirical investigation on the role of retailers in shaping consumer attitudes toward the scandalized brand

Bio-Repository of DNA in stroke (BRAINS): A study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Stroke is one of the commonest causes of mortality in the world and anticipated to be an increasing burden to the developing world. Stroke has a genetic basis and identifying those genes may not only help us define the mechanisms that cause stroke but also identify novel therapeutic targets. However, large scale highly phenotyped DNA repositories are required in order for this to be achieved.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The proposed Bio-Repository of DNA in Stroke (BRAINS) will recruit all subtypes of stroke as well as controls from two different continents, Europe and Asia. Subjects recruited from the UK will include stroke patients of European ancestry as well as British South Asians. Stroke subjects from South Asia will be recruited from India and Sri Lanka. South Asian cases will also have control subjects recruited.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>We describe a study protocol to establish a large and highly characterized stroke biobank in those of European and South Asian descent. With different ethnic populations being recruited, BRAINS has the ability to compare and contrast genetic risk factors between those of differing ancestral descent as well as those who migrate into different environments.</p

Design, Synthesis, and Experimental Validation of Peptide Ligands Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma Factors

Transcription in prokaryotes is a multistep process and is :primarily regulated at the initiation stage. sigma factors are involved in promoter recognition and thus govern prokaryotic gene expression. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MO) sigma factors have been previously suggested as important drug targets through large-scale genome analyses. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of specific targeting of Mtb sigma factors using designed peptides. A peptide library was generated using three-dimensional structural features corresponding to the interface regions of sigma factors and the RNA polymerase. In silico optimization of the peptides, employing structural as well as sequence features, aided specific targeting of sigma(A) and sigma(B). We synthesized and characterized the best hit peptide from the peptide library along with other control peptides and studied the, interaction of these peptides with;sigma(B) using biolayer interferometry. The experimental data validate; the design strategy. These studies suggest the feasibility of designing specific peptides via in silico methods that bind sigma(B) with nanomolar affinity. We note that this strategy can be broadly applied to modulate prokaryotic transcription by designed peptides, thereby providing a tool for studying bacterial adaptation as well as host pathogen interactions in infectious bacteria

Vitamin D receptor (FokI, BsmI and TaqI) gene polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus : A North Indian study

Background : The vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is a candidate gene for susceptibility to several diseases. Studies on association between VDR polymorphisms and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in different ethnic populations are yet inconclusive. Aims : This study was conducted to evaluate association between VDR polymorphisms and genetic susceptibility to T2DM in the north Indian population. Settings and Design : One hundred clinically diagnosed T2DM patients and 160 healthy controls from the north Indian population were recruited for genetic association study. Materials and Methods : Genomic DNA was extracted from blood and genotyped for the single nucleotide polymorphism SNPs of FokI (T/C) [rs2228570], BsmI (A/G) [rs1544410] and TaqI (C/T) [rs731236] by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Statistical Analysis Used : Genotype distribution and allelic frequencies were compared between patients and controls. Mean values and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using SPSS software (version 15.0). Results : The genotype distribution, allele and haplotype frequencies of VDR polymorphism did not differ significantly between patients and controls. Mean age and waist-hip ratio of patients were found to be associated with VDR polymorphism. Combination studies showed FFBbtt increased the risk of T2DM in north Indians. Conclusions : Our data suggest that VDR gene polymorphism in combination of genotypes is associated with the risk of T2DM and thus requires further studies as a probable genetic risk marker for T2DM

Design, Synthesis, and Experimental Validation of Peptide Ligands Targeting <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> σ Factors

Transcription in prokaryotes is a multistep process and is primarily regulated at the initiation stage. σ factors are involved in promoter recognition and thus govern prokaryotic gene expression. <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> (<i>Mtb</i>) σ factors have been previously suggested as important drug targets through large-scale genome analyses. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of specific targeting of <i>Mtb</i> σ factors using designed peptides. A peptide library was generated using three-dimensional structural features corresponding to the interface regions of σ factors and the RNA polymerase. <i>In silico</i> optimization of the peptides, employing structural as well as sequence features, aided specific targeting of σ^A and σ^B. We synthesized and characterized the best hit peptide from the peptide library along with other control peptides and studied the interaction of these peptides with σ^B using biolayer interferometry. The experimental data validate the design strategy. These studies suggest the feasibility of designing specific peptides via <i>in silico</i> methods that bind σ^B with nanomolar affinity. We note that this strategy can be broadly applied to modulate prokaryotic transcription by designed peptides, thereby providing a tool for studying bacterial adaptation as well as host–pathogen interactions in infectious bacteria

Detailed Analysis of Gene Polymorphisms Associated with Ischemic Stroke in South Asians

The burden of stroke is disproportionately high in the South Asian subcontinent with South Asian ethnicity conferring a greater risk of ischemic stroke than European ancestry regardless of country inhabited. While genes associated with stroke in European populations have been investigated, they remain largely unknown in South Asians. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of known genetic polymorphisms associated with South Asian ischemic stroke, and compared effect size of the MTHFR C677T-stroke association with effect sizes predicted from homocysteine-stroke association. Electronic databases were searched up to August 2012 for published case control studies investigating genetic polymorphisms associated with ischemic stroke in South Asians. Pooled odds ratios (OR) for each gene-disease association were calculated using a random-effects model. We identified 26 studies (approximately 2529 stroke cases and 2881 controls) interrogating 33 independent genetic polymorphisms in 22 genes. Ten studies described MTHFR C677T (108 with TT genotype and 2018 with CC genotype) -homocysteine relationship and six studies (735 stroke cases and 713 controls) described homocysteine-ischemic stroke relationship. Risk association ORs were calculated for ACE I/D (OR 5.00; 95% CI, 1.17–21.37; p = 0.03), PDE4D SNP 83 (OR 2.20; 95% CI 1.21–3.99; p = 0.01), PDE4D SNP 32 (OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.01–2.45, p = 0.045) and IL10 G1082A (OR 1.44; 95% CI, 1.09–1.91, p = 0.01). Significant association was observed between elevated plasma homocysteine levels and MTHFR/677 TT genotypes in healthy South Asians (Mean difference (ΔX) 5.18 µmol/L; 95% CI 2.03–8.34: p = 0.001). Our results demonstrate that the genetic etiology of ischemic stroke in South Asians is broadly similar to the risk conferred in Europeans, although the dataset is considerably smaller and warrants the same clinical considerations for risk profiling