Dear Brand, Please Help me to Become a True-Man Out of the Truman: The Role of Brand Authenticity

Although brand authenticity is gaining increasing interest in academia and managerial practice, empirical studies on its contribution to the branding literature are still limited. The authors therefore conceptually and empirically examine the emergence and outcomes of perceived brand authenticity (PBA). A prior multi-phase scale development process resulted in a 17-item PBA scale to measure its four dimensions of credibility, integrity, symbolism, and longevity. Brand authenticity perceptions are influenced by indexical, existential, and iconic cues, whereby the latter’s influence is moderated by consumers’ level of marketing skepticism. Further, PBA increases emotional brand attachment. This relationship is particularly strong for consumers with a high level of self-authenticity. In addition, PBA effects are stronger in a North American market context compared to a European context.

Effects of induced parturition in goats on immunoglobulin G and chitotriosidase activity in colostrum and plasma and on plasma concentrations of prolactin

The effect of induction of parturition with a PGF(2)alpha analog on plasma concentration of prolactin (PRL) and its effects on colostrum concentration of IgG and chitotriosidase (ChT) activity were studied in 16 pregnant Majorera goats. Treated goats, those in which parturition was induced, had greater concentrations of PRL than control goats 24 h before parturition (P < 0.05) and 48 h after parturition (P < 0.05). Control goats had greater concentrations of PRL than treated goats 96 h after parturition (P < 0.05). Plasma concentration of IgG did not differ between groups during the experimental period, but colostrum concentrations of IgG were greater in control goats than in treated goats at parturition (P < 0.05). Plasma ChT activity decreased during the period 72 h before parturition to 24 h after parturition in control and treated goats. Time evolution after partum affected the colostrum ChT activity, being greater at parturition than after parturition in both groups (P < 0.05). In summary, concentration of IgG in colostrum is slightly diminished if parturition is induced. Induction of parturition causes an early increase in PRL, which is most likely responsible for preterm suppression of IgG transport into mammary secretions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Management effects on colostrogenesis in small ruminants: a review

Colostrum feeding in small ruminants is crucial during the first hours after birth due to the lack of Ig transfer during pregnancy via the placenta. In addition the immature immune system of the neonate is slow to produce its own Ig during the first weeks of life. Colostrogenesis, i.e. the transfer of Ig from blood into mammary secretions, starts several weeks prepartum. In goat plasma, immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration decreases by around 38% from the third month of gestation until partum, which coincides with the dry period. Thus, management during the dry period is crucial for the course of colostrogenesis. The colostrum synthesis is determined by the nutrition during the prepartum period, but the transfer of Ig is obviously independent of nutritional influences. The administration of conjugated linoleic acid during the dry period to dairy goats causes a less pronounced decrease of blood plasma IgG concentration (6%) but it did not change colostral IgG levels. In cattle, IgG1 is transported from blood into colostrum by an IgG1 specific receptor located on the surface of alveolar epithelial cells during colostrogenesis, and this is most likely similar in small ruminants. Via inactivation of this receptor, the Ig transfer is downregulated by increasing prolactin (PRL) during lactogenesis. It was recently observed in goats treated with PGF2 alpha, in order to induce parturition, lower colostrum IgG concentrations occurred concomitantly with an earlier increase of plasma PRL as compared to untreated animals. The effect of litter size and number of lactations on colostral IgG concentration in small ruminants has not been made fully clear until now most likely due to the different breeds used in the published studies.

Die internationale Schweiz in der Zeit des Kalten Krieges

Die enge Verflechtung mit dem Weltgeschehen ist seit langer Zeit fester Bestandteil der Geschichte der modernen Schweiz. Auf politischer, kultureller und wirtschaftlicher Ebene waren die Grenzen stets äusserst durchlässig. Als «kleine, offene Wirtschaftsmacht» orientierte sich das Land bereits seit Anfang des 19. Jahrhunderts stark am Welthandel und spezialisierte sich früh auf die Ausfuhr von Qualitätsprodukten mit hoher Gewinnmarge, wobei der Anteil des Aussenhandels an der nationalen Wirtschaft signifikant hoch war. Auch der schweizerische Finanzplatz positionierte sich spätestens nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg an der Weltspitze. Diese starke Ausrichtung auf die Weltmärkte brachte von Anfang an ein grosses Interesse der schweizerischen Eliten an diplomatischen und politischen Entwicklungen und Verschiebungen in den internationalen Beziehungen zwischen den Grossmächten mit sich. Die Neuorientierung der weltweiten Machtverhältnisse während der Epoche des Kalten Krieges – das heisst während der etwas mehr als vier Jahrzehnte, die zwischen der Verkündung der Truman-Doktrin 1947 und der Gründung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 1949 einerseits und der Auflösung des Ostblocks 1989/90 andererseits liegen – betraf deshalb die schweizerische Aussenpolitik und Wirtschaft in besonderem Masse. Die spätestens seit dem Kriegseintritt der (bislang neutralen) USA im Dezember 1941 unter massivem Druck stehende schweizerische Neutralität konnte sich mit der Entfaltung des Kalten Krieges auf dem bipolaren Schachbrett der beiden Machtblöcke neue Tätigkeitsfelder eröffnen, welche die schweizerische Innen- und Aussenpolitik in der Folge stark bestimmen sollten.