A simple example for the teaching of demand theory: Aggregate demand estimation for onions in India

AbstractManagerial economics textbooks rarely include empirical examples of demand estimation of any commodity from real data, perhaps because in reality one must consider coupled demand systems. We suggest that on a national level and over a short time, the price–volume data for onions provide a bona fide example of a single-commodity demand curve. Since the onion has no real substitutes and taste for onions does not fluctuate, the demand curve does not shift over time. Empirical analysis of aggregated national level data yields a demand curve with two regimes: constant consumption at low prices, and constant budget at high prices

State-of-the-art preclinical evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine candidates

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Extraction, Characterization and Pharmacological Evaluation of Aegle marmelos Leaves

In the present day, antibiotic drugs are gradually becoming obsolete due to the development of antimicrobial resistance. As a result, the scientific community is in search of new antibiotic drugs which can be safely administered to the patents. Natural products are generally known for their nontoxic nature and many of them are known to produce a variety of pharmacological activities. The aim of this work is to extract the leaves of Aegle marmelos, phytochemical characterization of the extract, identification of phytoconstituents by thin layer chromatography, ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy of extract and evaluation of its antimicrobial activity. Extraction of the leaves of Aegle marmelos has been conducted using a Soxhlet apparatus. About 10.32% yield of extract was obtained. Phytochemical screening of the ethanolic leaf extract by standard methods showed the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, saponins and triterpenoids which were confirmed by TLC. ATR-FTIR Spectroscopic study was conducted to determine the type of functional groups present in extract. The ethanolic leaf extract also produced antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and zone of inhibition was 14 mm and 16 mm respectively when compared to standard antibiotic tetracycline. From this research it can be inferred that ethanolic leaf extract of Aegle marmelos has antimicrobial activity because of the presence of secondary metabolites in it. Further investigation will hereby be conducted in future regarding the route of administration of the extract and the type of dosage form. &nbsp

A Universal Nanogel-Based Coating Approach for Medical Implant Materials

Coatings are essential for biomedical applications antifouling and antimicrobialproperties, supporting cell adhesion and tissue integration and particularlyinteresting in this field are nanogel (nGel)-based coatings. Since biomaterialsdiffer in physiochemical properties, specific nGel-coating strategies need to bedeveloped for every distinct material, leading to complex coating strategies.Hence, the solution lies in adopting a universal strategy to apply the same nGelcoating with the same function on a wide range of implant surfaces. To this end, auniversal nGel-based coating approach provides the same coating using a singlemethod on implant materials including stiff polymer materials, metals, ceramics,glass, and elastomers. The coating formation is achieved by electrostatic interactionsbetween oxygen plasma–activated surfaces and positively charged nGelsusing a spray-deposition method. Fluorescent labels are introduced into thenGels as a model for post-modification capabilities to increase the functionality ofthe coating. The coating is highly stable under in vitro physiological conditionswith the retention of its function on different clinically relevant materials.Meanwhile, the in vivo study indicates that the nGel coating on a polyvinylidenefluoride hernia mesh is stable and biocompatible, therefore, making the coatingand the coating strategy, a highly impactful approach for future clinicaldevelopments

Synchronous malignant vagal paraganglioma with contralateral carotid body paraganglioma treated by radiation therapy

Paragangliomas are rare tumors and very few cases of malignant vagal paraganglioma with synchronous carotid body paraganglioma have been reported. We report a case of a 20-year old male who presented with slow growing bilateral neck masses of eight years duration. He had symptoms of dysphagia to solids, occasional mouth breathing and hoarseness of voice. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) performed where he lived showed a sinus histiocytosis and he was administered anti-tubercular treatment for six months without any improvement in his symptoms. His physical examination revealed pulsatile, soft to firm, non-tender swellings over the anterolateral neck confined to the upper-mid jugulo-diagastric region on both sides. Direct laryngoscopy examination revealed a bulge on the posterior pharyngeal wall and another over the right lateral pharyngeal wall. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 99mTc-labeled octreotide scan and angiography diagnosed the swellings as carotid body paraganglioma, stage III on the right side with left-sided vagal malignant paraganglioma. Surgery was ruled out as a high morbidity with additional risk to life was expected due to the highly vascular nature of the tumor. The patient was treated with radiation therapy by image guided radiation to a dose of 5040cGy in 28 fractions. At a follow-up at 16 months, the tumors have regressed bilaterally and the patient can take solids with ease

Bureaucratic and Societal Determinants of Female-Led Microenterprises in India

This study examines the barriers to female entrepreneurship in India’s microenterprise sector through society and bureaucracy. The study uses grammatical genders in languages to capture the societal attitudes towards female entrepreneurship. Using a probit model, it was found that states where the spoken language is two-gendered, have poor representations of women in entrepreneurial positions compared with states with languages that are multi-gender or no gender. It is further argued that these societal attitudes also reflect through people in power, such as bureaucrats, credit managers, bankers, etc., which affects female entrepreneurship. The paper finds empirical evidence for the grease-the-wheel hypothesis, i.e., in the presence of a discriminating inefficient business ecosystem, women entrepreneurs use non-market strategies such as corruption to alter decisions in their favour. Thus, an effort to reduce corruption at an immature stage, when these societal institutions have not yet developed, might cause more harm than benefit

Bureaucratic and societal determinants of female-led microenterprises in India

This study examines the barriers to female entrepreneurship in India's microenterprise sector through society and bureaucracy. The study uses grammatical genders in languages to capture the societal attitudes towards female entrepreneurship. Using a probit model, it was found that states where the spoken language is two-gendered, have poor representations of women in entrepreneurial positions compared with states with languages that are multi-gender or no gender. It is further argued that these societal attitudes also reflect through people in power, such as bureaucrats, credit managers, bankers, etc., which affects female entrepreneurship. The paper finds empirical evidence for the grease-the-wheel hypothesis, i.e., in the presence of a discriminating inefficient business ecosystem, women entrepreneurs use non-market strategies such as corruption to alter decisions in their favour. Thus, an effort to reduce corruption at an immature stage, when these societal institutions have not yet developed, might cause more harm than benefit