Mergers and Acquisitions in the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry: Nature, Structure and Performance

This paper tries to address the extent, nature and impact of the recent surge in consolidation strategies especially in the form of mergers and acquisitions followed by the firms in the Indian pharmaceutical industry. The study found that many of the firms are implementing these strategies in the new context of globalisation mainly to overcome the acute competition arising out of the pro-market reforms and to strengthen their market portfolio. The study reaches the conclusion that the consolidation strategies followed by the firms enabled them to cut down the wasteful expenses to a greater extent and which resulted in better performance of the merging firms compared to the non-merging firms in this industry.mergers; acquisitions; consolidation; pharmaceutical industry; performance

The role of attention in motion extrapolation: Are moving objects 'corrected' or flashed objects attentionally delayed?

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Quality of Life in Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Background: The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a life saving device for individuals with life threatening ventricular arrhythmias. There is no doubt that it is a cost effective therapy in various congenital and acquired arrhythmogenic disorders. Nevertheless, shock delivery may be painful and frightening which causes psychological distress and deterioration of perceived quality of life. Methods: A systematic meta-analysis on studies reporting quality of life in patients implanted with ICDs was done using professional databases. Related articles and references of the relevant articles were also searched for suitable studies. Results: Thirty studies with a total of 3412 patients on implantable defibrillators were identified. Five of them were large randomised studies with a total of 1680 patients, while 25 were non-randomised studies. Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short Form health survey (SF - 36) was the most common instrument used for assessment of quality of life. Only one of the 5 major randomised trial reported worsening of quality of life after implantation of a defibrillator. In the subgroup of patients receiving shocks, three out of the five trials reported worsening of quality of life. Summary: Most of the randomised studies showed either neutral or better quality of life in patients on implantable defibrillators. In the subset of patients receiving shocks, worsening of quality of life was found in most randomised studies. Therefore, activation of antitachycardia pacing should be performed in every ICD-patient in order to miminze painful shocks and consequent deterioration of quality of life

Effects of fluctuating daily surface fluxes on the time-mean oceanic circulation

The effect of fluctuating daily surface fluxes on the time-mean oceanic circulation is studied using an empirical flux model. The model produces fluctuating fluxes resulting from atmospheric variability and includes oceanic feedbacks on the fluxes. Numerical experiments were carried out by driving an ocean general circulation model with three different versions of the empirical model. It is found that fluctuating daily fluxes lead to an increase in the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) of the Atlantic of about 1 Sv and a decrease in the Antarctic circumpolar current (ACC) of about 32 Sv. The changes are approximately 7% of the MOC and 16% of the ACC obtained without fluctuating daily fluxes. The fluctuating fluxes change the intensity and the depth of vertical mixing. This, in turn, changes the density field and thus the circulation. Fluctuating buoyancy fluxes change the vertical mixing in a non-linear way: they tend to increase the convective mixing in mostly stable regions and to decrease the convective mixing in mostly unstable regions. The ACC changes are related to the enhanced mixing in the subtropical and the mid-latitude Southern Ocean and reduced mixing in the high-latitude Southern Ocean. The enhanced mixing is related to an increase in the frequency and the depth of convective events. As these events bring more dense water downward, the mixing changes lead to a reduction in meridional gradient of the depth-integrated density in the Southern Ocean and hence the strength of the ACC. The MOC changes are related to more subtle density changes. It is found that the vertical mixing in a latitudinal strip in the northern North Atlantic is more strongly enhanced due to fluctuating fluxes than the mixing in a latitudinal strip in the South Atlantic. This leads to an increase in the density difference between the two strips, which can be responsible for the increase in the Atlantic MOC

Is Rivastigmine Effective in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not rivastigmine is effective for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. STUDY DESIGN: Review of two trials in the English language published in 2007 and 2010, and an open-label, singlearm, multi-center study from 2008. DATA SOURCES: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials comparing rivastigmine to a visually-matched capsule (placebo) was found using PubMed and Cochrane databases. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Overall global performance using the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog), ability to perform activities of daily living, cognitive function using the mini mental status exam (MMSE), and neuropsychiatric symptoms using BEHAVE-AD. RESULTS: The two RCTs included in the review along with the open-label study showed that rivastigmine did help improve symptoms, but usually in patients with a more severe or progressive form of dementia. Rivastigmine was also shown to be more effective in preventing cognitive decline when given at higher doses and to participants who did not have other confounding symptoms, such as hallucinations. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the RCTs and open-label study show that rivastigmine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is safe and effective

JOUR 4712/6712: Mass Media & Cultures (Syllabus)

Course Description: Designed for the professional communicator who needs to understand different cultures, both foreign and domestic; intercultural communication, comparison of cultural values and behaviors, the nature of news in different cultures, the international flow of news, growth and impact of global journalism, television, advertising, and public relations

JOUR 4330: Advertising Internship (Syllabus)

Course Description: Work in practical assignments at local media under supervision of qualified practitioners

JOUR 4430: Public Relations Internship (Syllabus)

Course Description: Work in practical assignments at local media under supervision of qualified practitioners