Constraints And Contingencies Of The Small Business: A Comparative Perspective

Small businesses relative to the medium and large businesses tend to demonstrate culture (country) specific business practices. However, in spite of the recognized diversity of business practices, strong homogeneous tendencies and norms have been developing specially among the small businesses that operate in the global market place. These tendencies and norms offer unique opportunity for a comparative perspective. This paper is an attempt in this regard toward identifying the issues of constraints and challenges of the small business from a comparative perspective. A part of multi-country study, authors collected data in 2006 from 133 small businesses of India, and 112 small enterprises in Bangladesh. The findings provide a varying degree of supports for two illustrative hypotheses concerning issues, constraints and contingencies of small businesses in these two countries. The authors believe that the paper is likely to enhance empirical understanding of the small business from a comparative perspective

Comparative Small Business: Toward A Model

This paper addresses the issue of comparability of the small business across geographical boundaries based on organizational contextual, structural variables and the effectiveness indicators.  The authors argue that (1) there are already many features, profiles, managerial challenges and the role the small businesses play in a political economy that are common to many countries; (2) the gradual homogenization (due to successful penetration and integration of web based information and transactional technology) of business cultures in a borderless and seamless global business environment may enable tentative generalizations based on empirical as well as ethnographic studies.    The paper first defines small business effectiveness and then outlines several common factors through a review of case and ethnographic studies. Finally, the author takes one of the common factors—the issue of capacity utilization and proposes a quasi deterministic empirical econometric model and shares the findings through a secondary analysis of survey data collected from 179 small scale enterprises in West Bengal, India. The findings reflect positively on the efficacy of the model. The authors conclude:  the scholarly pursuits such as this are likely to enrich and contribute to the nascent comparative small business literature and enhance the empirical understanding of the small business dynamics.  Consequently, a greater homogenization of the global business practices may facilitate more small business to small business transactions within the country specific diverse global business cultures

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SOLVENTS ON ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF CALOTROPIS PROCERA AND AZADIRACHTA INDICA

Objective: This study was performed to identify the phytochemicals and comparatively evaluate the antioxidant activity of Calotropis procera and Azadirachta indica by detection of total phenolics, hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity, and estimation of condensed tannins in different solvent systems and at different temperatures.Methods: Leaves of C. procera and A. indica were extracted in water, methanol by soaking dried leaf powder at room temperature and also by boiling the leaf powder in water for 30 minutes. Phytochemical tests were performed in all of the extracts. The antioxidant activity was determined by hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity. Quantitative estimation of total phenolics and hydrolysable tannins was also performed.Results: The total phenolics in both leaf extracts was obtained maximum in boiled extract (40.7±1.20 mg gallic acid equivalent [GAE]/g dry extract in C. procera and 33.66±1.45 mg GAE/g dry extract in A. indica). The amount of hydrolysable tannins in both leaf extracts was found to be highest in methanol (150±1.88 mg catechin equivalent/g dry extract in C. procera and 144.8±2.63 mg catechin equivalent/g dry extract in A. indica).Conclusion: The study showed promising results indicating that these plants are a good source of antioxidants. The majority of phytochemicals were extracted in distilled water and methanol acts as a good solvent for extraction of tannins, whereas an increase in temperature leads to poor extraction of tannins.Keywords: Antioxidant, Phytochemicals, Phenolics, Radical, Tannins

STUDIES ON PREBIOTIC FOOD ADDITIVE (INULIN) IN INDIAN DIETARY FIBRE SOURCES - GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM), WHEAT (TRITICUM SPP.), OAT (AVENA SATIVA) AND DALIA (BULGUR)

Objective: In the present investigation inulin has been extracted from dietary fibre rich Indian food stuffs, namely, garlic, wheat, oat and dalia. Inulin in the raw food stuff and in the extract has been assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. Methods: Inulin has been extracted from each food source using a combination of lab-scale chemical processes and unit operations. Qualitative assessment of inulin in different food samples and their extracts has been done using FTIR and TLC and quantitative assessment has been done using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and also through combination of TLC and spectro-photometry. Results: The concentration (on dry weight basis) of inulin in natural prebiotic sources has been determined to be 16.60%, 13.07%, 8.94%, 14.95% for garlic, wheat, oat and dalia respectively. The extraction of inulin from garlic, wheat, oat and dalia was possible up to the extent of 99.46%, 77.94%, 53.31% and 89.15% respectively. Conclusion:  It may be concluded that all the food samples, investigated under the study, may serve as potential sources for extraction of prebiotic inulin. The present extraction procedure may be escalated to commercial scale for the production of inulin particularly from garlic for which the efficiency is as high as 99.46%

Comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isocitrate dehydrogenases (ICD-1 and ICD-2) reveals differences in coenzyme affinity, oligomeric state, pH tolerance and phylogenetic affiliation

Background: M.tb icd-1 and M.tb icd-2, have been identified in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome as probable isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD) genes. Earlier we demonstrated that the two isoforms can elicit B cell response in TB patients and significantly differentiate TB infected population from healthy, BCG-vaccinated controls. Even though immunoassays suggest that these proteins are closely related in terms of antigenic determinants, we now show that M.tb icd-1 and M.tb icd-2 code for functional energy cycle enzymes and document the differences in their biochemical properties, oligomeric assembly and phylogenetic affiliation. Results: Functionally, both M.tb ICD-1 and ICD-2 proteins are dimers. Zn+2 can act as a cofactor for ICD-1 apart from Mg+2, but not for ICD-2. ICD-1 has higher affinity for metal substrate complex (Km (isocitrate) with Mg++:10 μM ± 5) than ICD-2 (Km (isocitrate) with Mg++:20 μM ± 1). ICD-1 is active across a wider pH range than ICD-2, retaining 33-35% activity in an acidic pH upto 5.5. Difference in thermal behaviour is also observed with ICD-2 being active across wider temperature range (20°C to 40°C) than ICD-1 (optimum temperature 40°C). The isozymes are NADP+ dependent with distinct phylogenetic affiliations; unlike M.tb ICD-2 that groups with bacterial ICDs, M.tb ICD-1 exhibits a closer lineage to eukaryotic NADP+ dependent ICDs. Conclusion: The data provide experimental evidence to show that the two open reading frames, Rv3339c (ICD-1) and Rv0066c (ICD-2), annotated as probable ICDs are functional TCA cycle enzymes with identical enzymatic function but different physio-chemical and kinetic properties. The differences in biochemical and kinetic properties suggest the possibility of differential expression of the two ICDs during different stages of growth, despite having identical metabolic function

Genome-wide non-CpG methylation of the host genome during M. tuberculosis infection

A mammalian cell utilizes DNA methylation to modulate gene expression in response to environmental changes during development and differentiation. Aberrant DNA methylation changes as a correlate to diseased states like cancer, neurodegenerative conditions and cardiovascular diseases have been documented. Here we show genome-wide DNA methylation changes in macrophages infected with the pathogen M. tuberculosis. Majority of the affected genomic loci were hypermethylated in M. tuberculosis infected THP1 macrophages. Hotspots of differential DNA methylation were enriched in genes involved in immune response and chromatin reorganization. Importantly, DNA methylation changes were observed predominantly for cytosines present in non-CpG dinucleotide context. This observation was consistent with our previous finding that the mycobacterial DNA methyltransferase, Rv2966c, targets non-CpG dinucleotides in the host DNA during M. tuberculosis infection and reiterates the hypothesis that pathogenic bacteria use non-canonical epigenetic strategies during infection

The nuclear pore protein NUP98 impedes LTR-driven basal gene expression of HIV-1, viral propagation, and infectivity

Nucleoporins (NUPs) are cellular effectors of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) replication that support nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of viral components. However, these also non-canonically function as positive effectors, promoting proviral DNA integration into the host genome and viral gene transcription, or as negative effectors by associating with HIV-1 restriction factors, such as MX2, inhibiting the replication of HIV-1. Here, we investigated the regulatory role of NUP98 on HIV-1 as we observed a lowering of its endogenous levels upon HIV-1 infection in CD4+ T cells. Using complementary experiments in NUP98 overexpression and knockdown backgrounds, we deciphered that NUP98 negatively affected HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter activity and lowered released virus levels. The negative effect on promoter activity was independent of HIV-1 Tat, suggesting that NUP98 prevents the basal viral gene expression. ChIP-qPCR showed NUP98 to be associated with HIV-1 LTR, with the negative regulatory element (NRE) of HIV-1 LTR playing a dominant role in NUP98-mediated lowering of viral gene transcription. Truncated mutants of NUP98 showed that the attenuation of HIV-1 LTR-driven transcription is primarily contributed by its N-terminal region. Interestingly, the virus generated from the producer cells transiently expressing NUP98 showed lower infectivity, while the virus generated from NUP98 knockdown CD4+ T cells showed higher infectivity as assayed in TZM-bl cells, corroborating the anti-HIV-1 properties of NUP98. Collectively, we show a new non-canonical function of a nucleoporin adding to the list of moonlighting host factors regulating viral infections. Downregulation of NUP98 in a host cell upon HIV-1 infection supports the concept of evolutionary conflicts between viruses and host antiviral factors

"The fruits of independence": Satyajit Ray, Indian nationhood and the spectre of empire

Challenging the longstanding consensus that Satyajit Ray's work is largely free of ideological concerns and notable only for its humanistic richness, this article shows with reference to representations of British colonialism and Indian nationhood that Ray's films and stories are marked deeply and consistently by a distinctively Bengali variety of liberalism. Drawn from an ongoing biographical project, it commences with an overview of the nationalist milieu in which Ray grew up and emphasizes the preoccupation with colonialism and nationalism that marked his earliest unfilmed scripts. It then shows with case studies of Kanchanjangha (1962), Charulata (1964), First Class Kamra (First-Class Compartment, 1981), Pratidwandi (The Adversary, 1970), Shatranj ke Khilari (The Chess Players, 1977), Agantuk (The Stranger, 1991) and Robertsoner Ruby (Robertson's Ruby, 1992) how Ray's mature work continued to combine a strongly anti-colonial viewpoint with a shifting perspective on Indian nationhood and an unequivocal commitment to cultural cosmopolitanism. Analysing how Ray articulated his ideological positions through the quintessentially liberal device of complexly staged debates that were apparently free, but in fact closed by the scenarist/director on ideologically specific notes, this article concludes that Ray's reputation as an all-forgiving, ‘everybody-has-his-reasons’ humanist is based on simplistic or even tendentious readings of his work

Deep phenotyping and genomic data from a nationally representative study on dementia in India

The Harmonized Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI-DAD) is a nationally representative in-depth study of cognitive aging and dementia. We present a publicly available dataset of harmonized cognitive measures of 4,096 adults 60 years of age and older in India, collected across 18 states and union territories. Blood samples were obtained to carry out whole blood and serum-based assays. Results are included in a venous blood specimen datafile that can be linked to the Harmonized LASI-DAD dataset. A global screening array of 960 LASI-DAD respondents is also publicly available for download, in addition to neuroimaging data on 137 LASI-DAD participants. Altogether, these datasets provide comprehensive information on older adults in India that allow researchers to further understand risk factors associated with cognitive impairment and dementia.Peer reviewe

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