Prospects for IT-Enabled Services Under a Indo-US FTA

ITES/BPO services is an important and growing component of Indias trade in services with the US. While the Indian government has implemented several measures to support the growth of this sector, Indian companies face various barriers in the US market such as anti-outsourcing regulations, restrictive visa/work permit regime and concerns relating to protection of sensitive data. Multilateral negotiations would have been the best route to address many of these barriers, but with the recent suspension of the Doha Round of talks, it has become important for countries to evaluate alternative routes such as bilateral Free Trade Agreements. In fact, after the suspension of the multilateral negotiations, both India and the US have refocused on bilateral agreements. In this context, this study discusses the current and potential trade between India and the US in ITES/BPO services, identifies barriers to trade and explores how an FTA can enhance bilateral trade in this sector. The study shows that the US-FTAs have achieved a higher level of liberalization than in the WTO. It suggests various negotiating strategies for India such as a negative list approach, signing mutual recognition agreements in key professional services, asking for a H1B1 type of visa, pushing for removal of domestic regulation-related barriers, among others which would enhance market access for Indian companies in the US. It also points out that Indo-US collaborations for data protection, skill development and raising awareness of the advantages of outsourcing in the US would be mutually beneficial. The study discusses regulatory and other reforms which will improve the productivity, efficiency and global competitiveness of this sector and enable the country to gain from the FTA.Indo-US FTA, GATS, bilateral agreements, Business Process Outsourcing, IT-enabled services

Indo-U.S. FTA: Prospects for Audiovisual Services

Many WTO (World Trade Organization) member countries, including India, are defensive about opening up of the audiovisual sector in the Doha Round due to reasons of cultural sensitivity. On the other hand, the United States is pushing for liberalizing trade in this sector - both in the WTO and in its bilateral FTAs (Free Trade Agreements). With the slow progress of the Doha Round, India and the United States are exploring the possibilities of entering into FTAs with like-minded trading partners. In this context, the present paper discusses the prospects of liberalizing audiovisual services under a possible Indo-U.S. FTA. The study found that India and the United States have significant trade complementarities in this sector which can be further enhanced under an FTA. It identifies areas such as co-production of films, digital content creation and broadband infrastructure in which companies from India and the United States can enter into mutually beneficial collaborations. It argues that India should enter into a media cooperation agreement with the U.S. to facilitate the inflow of technical know, finance and best management practices. It discusses regulatory and other reforms which would not only improve the productivity and global competitiveness of the Indian audiovisual sector but also enable it to gain from the FTA.Indo-U.S. FTA, GATS, bilateral agreements, audiovisual, services

Indo-U.S. FTA - Prospects for Audiovisual Services

Many WTO (World Trade Organization) member countries, including India, are defensive about opening up of the audiovisual sector in the Doha Round due to reasons of cultural sensitivity. On the other hand, the United States is pushing for liberalizing trade in this sector both in the WTO and in its bilateral FTAs (Free Trade Agreements). With the slow progress of the Doha Round, India and the United States are exploring the possibilities of entering into FTAs with like-minded trading partners. In this context, the present paper discusses the prospects of liberalizing audiovisual services under a possible Indo-U.S. FTA. The study found that India and the United States have significant trade complementarities in this sector which can be further enhanced under an FTA. It identifies areas such as co-production of films, digital content creation and broadband infrastructure in which companies from India and the United States can enter into mutually beneficial collaborations. It argues that India should enter into a media cooperation agreement with the U.S. to facilitate the inflow of technical know, finance and best management practices. It discusses regulatory and other reforms which would not only improve the productivity and global competitiveness of the Indian audiovisual sector but also enable it to gain from the FTA.Indo-U.S. FTA, GATS, bilateral agreements, audiovisual, Services

Analysis of success of vaginal birth after cesarean in relation to indication of primary caesarean section: a tertiary care experience

Background: Apprehensions related to vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) has reduced rates of successful vaginal trials over last decade. The objective of this study was to identify the indications of first caesarean section that can lead to a successful trial of labour in subsequent pregnancy.Methods: Retrospective cohort study was done between November 2014 and October 2017. Data from the case records was analysed.Results: Study over 3 years from 2014 to 2017 revealed fetal distress (82.7%),  breech (72.2%), transverse lie (66.7%), antepartum haemorrhage (56.2%) and twins with first non-cephalic (57.9%) have successful outcome of VBAC whereas obstructed labour (19.2%) and failed induction (18.4%) in previous pregnancy have poor outcome for VBAC.Conclusions: Attempts to allow trial of labour after one previous caesarean section with fetal distress, malpresentation and twins as indications of caesarean in previous pregnancy are safe and should be encouraged

Dynamical Behaviour of Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines during Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

The role of anti-cytokines in atherosclerosis is to reduce inflammation in the intima. In some situations, certain anti-inflammatory cytokines like TGF-beta and IL-6 have shown the characteristics like a pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are showing different natures. In this study, a dynamical atherosclerosis model is proposed in the form of reaction-diffusion equation with consideration of immune cells, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The existence and uniqueness of the solutions are discussed for the proposed reaction dynamical system. The three equilibrium points, non-inflammatory, chronic, and coexistence, and their local stability are also determined for the model. Bellman and Cooke’s theorem is applied to illustrate the global stability at the coexistence equilibrium point. The effects of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines have also been discussed. The analytical and numerical studies evidently indicate that inflammation behaves differently when a certain number of anti-inflammatory cytokines behave like pro-inflammatory cytokines. The numerical simulations are demonstrated for different impacts of the reduction rate of macrophages due to the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines, inhibition time, and the portion of anti-inflammatory cytokines behaving like pro-inflammatory cytokines through graphically. The results of this study suggest that chronic inflammation of the disease is likely to persist when a high concentration of ox-LDL and moderate concentration of cytokines are present in the intima. Coexistence inflammation is characterized by a high concentration of ox-LDL, moderate concentration of pro-inflammatory and high concentration of anti-cytokines; whereas a non-inflammatory condition would persevere if a low concentration of ox-LDL has been present in the intima

Rapid Bioassessment of Magura haor (Floodplain wetland), Cachar District, Assam, India using Aquatic Insects

ABSTRACT Investigation on the water quality of the floodplain wetland, Magura through rapid assessment survey using aquatic insects for the four seasons were done during 2013-14. Aquatic insects were collected from the two sites and were identified up to family level. All together 5 orders (Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Odonata, Ephemeroptera and Diptera) and 21 families were recorded from the wetland. 17 families from site 1 (Hemiptera-7 families, Coleoptera-4 families, Odonata-3 families, Ephemeroptera-1 family and Diptera-2 families) and 18 families from site 2 (Hemiptera-6 families, Coleoptera-6 families, Odonata-2 families, Ephemeroptera-1 family and Diptera-3 families) were recorded. Four family level biotic indices-SIGNAL 2, ASPT, BMWP and FBI were used to determine the status of the water quality. According to SIGNAL 2 and BMWP scores it was moderately polluted, whereas ASPT showed doubtful quality but FBI proved very good (site 1) and good water condition (site 2). This study revealed that only one biotic index cannot give proper justification of the water quality status of a wetland

Wavelet Based Color Image Denoising through a Bivariate Pearson Distribution

In this paper we proposed an efficient algorithm for Colo r Image Denoising through a Bivariate Pearson Distribution using Wavelet Which is based on Bayesian denoising and if Bayesian denoising is used for recovering image from the noisy image the performance is strictly depend on the correctness of the distribution that is used to describe the data. In the denoising process we require a selection of p roper model for distribution. To describe the image data bivariate pearson distribution is used and Gaussian distribution is used to describe the noise particles in this paper. For gray scale image lots of extensive works has been don e in this field but fo r colour image denoising using bivariate pearson distribution based on bayesian denoising gives us tremendous result for analy sing coloured images which can be used in several advanced applications. The bivariate probability density function (pdf) takes in t o account the Gaussian dependency among wavelet coefficients. The experimental results show that the proposed technique outperforms sev eral exiting methods both visually and in terms of peak signal - to - noise ratio (PSNR)

Draft Genome Sequences of Three Closely Related Isolates of the Purple Nonsulfur Bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum

We report here the draft genome sequences of three isolates of Rhodovulum sulfidophilum from a single population that will serve as a model system for understanding genomic traits that underlie metabolic variation within closely related marine purple nonsulfur bacteria in natural microbial communities

Rare isolation of Leclercia adecarboxylata in a child with pneumonia: Case report and review of literature

Leclercia adecarboxylata is a Gram-negative flagellated bacilli named after Leclerc, who first described it in 1962. Isolation of thisorganism from body fluids is rare. Although it has been reported in immunocompromised individuals and nosocomial infections,pneumonia due to this organism is still rare. We report a case of 13 months old, previously healthy immunocompetent child, withcommunity-acquired pneumonia due to L. adecarboxylata

A Rapid, Efficient and Green Method for Synthesis of 3,3'-Arylmethylene-bis-4-hydroxycoumarins without Use of any Solvent, Catalyst or Solid Surface

Abstract: A rapid, efficient and green methodology has been developed for the synthesis of 3,3'-arylmethylene-bis-4-hydroxycoumarins by microwave assisted condensation of aromatic aldehydes and 4-hydroxycoumarin without use of any solvent, catalyst or solid surface