An Insight into the Growth of New Retail Formats in India

The Indian retail sector is going through a transformation and this emerging market is witnessing a significant change in its growth and investment pattern. Both existing and new players are experimenting with new retail formats. Currently two popular formats -hypermarkets and supermarkets are growing very fast. Apart from the brick -mortar formats, brick -click and click-click formats are also increasingly visible on the Indian retail landscape. Consumer dynamics in India is changing and the retailers need to take note of this and formulate their strategies and tactics to deliver value to the consumer. This paper investigates modern retail developments and growth of modern formats in this country. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities available to the retailers to succeed in this country.

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF PRONIOSOMES AS DRUG CARRIERS FOR TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY OF KETOROLAC TROMETHAMINE

Ketorolac tromethamine is a drug with narrow therapeutic index and short biological half-life. This study was aimed at developing and optimizing proniosomal formulation of ketorolac tromethamine in order to improve its bioavailability. The prepared proniosomal gel formulations were evaluated and the effect of the varying composition of non ionic surfactant and cholesterol in various formulations were studied, such as vesicle shape, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and in- vitro drug release study. The presence of cholesterol made the proniosomes more stable with high drug entrapment efficiency and retention properties. The highest entrapment efficiency was observed with sodium cholate 88.17 ± 0.95 as compared to those formulation prepared with span60 and with sodium deoxycholate. Formulation F1 (LCI-I), zeta potential value was observed -20.0 mV, which is a measure of net charge of proniosomes which made them stable, by preventing aggregation. Formulation   F1 which prepared by sodium cholate,  showed highest drug release of 94.048 % after 24 hrs as compared to formulation F6 (LDCI-3) and F9 (LSI-3) which were prepared by sodium deoxycholate and sapn60 showed lowest drug release of  76.35% and 69.12%

Study of serum homocysteine level in cases of non-diabetic ischemic stroke

Background: Aim of the study was to measure serum homocysteine levels in non-diabetic ischemic stroke and to co-relate its significance with other risk factors of ischemic stroke. It was a case control study.Methods: The study was done in the Department of Medicine, VSS.I.M.S.A.R, Burla, Odisha. 42 patients of non-diabetic ischemic and 42 age and sex matched controls were included in the study. Adults above the age of 18 years who were non-diabetic presenting with first-ever ischemic stroke, confirmed by CT scan of brain were included. Diabetic patients, haemorrhagic stroke, suspected embolic stroke, patients on vitamin supplementations, chronic usage of phenytoin were excluded. Routine investigations, fasting serum lipid profile and serum homocysteine levels were done.Results: Mean serum homocysteine level in ischemic stroke patients were found to be much higher (25.83 micro mol/L) in comparison to control group (9.77 micro mol/L) which is statistically significant. Mean serum homocysteine levels were found to be higher in patients with age group of more than 60 years, male sex, sedentary lifestyle, vegetarian diet, hypertensive patients and patient with normal fasting lipid profile. Statistical analysis for significance of difference was done using Chi-Square test with Yate’s correction.Conclusions: A statistically significant correlation was found between all the studied risk factors among non-diabetic patients and serum homocysteine levels. Estimation of serum homocysteine is advisable in all cases of non-diabetic ischemic strokes to know the prognosis

Parametric optimalization of submerged fermantation conditions for xylanase production Bacillus cereus BSA1 through Taguchi Methodology

Extracellular xylanase production of Bacillus cereus BSA1 was optimized under submerged fermentation using Taguchi orthogonal array (OA). An L18 layout of OA was constructed at three-levels of six factors, i.e. temperature, pH, and xylan, Na2HPO4, NH4NO3 and NaCl concentrations, influencing the xylanase synthesis. The enzyme production was studied in 18 parallel batch systems using different levels of each factor. The results were processed with Qualitek-4 software using ‘bigger is better’ quality character, and combination of 35 oC; pH 6.0; and xylan 0.5; NH4NO3 0.5, Na2HPO4, 0.1; NaCl 0.05 concentrations (in w/v %) with a predictive xylanase production of 7.404 U/ml was obtained. Fermentation experiment was performed for further validating the statistical output, and it resulted 10.24% in the xylanase yield (from 6.44 U/ml to 7.10 U/ml) as compared to one variable at a time (OVAT) design. Interaction effects of the factors individually and in combination can be evaluated by using Taguchi method design of experiment

Physical properties of an Indian Ayurvedic medicine (<em>Shankh Bhasma</em>) as nano materials for its application

178-183The aim of present study is to describe Physical properties of an Indian Ayurvedic medicine (Shankh Bhasma) as nano materials for its applications. Shankh Bhasma has been synthesized by using method mentioned in an Ayurvedic text using conch shell and characterized by the modern scientific tools such as; X-ray diffractomter (XRD), Fourier Transform spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM).When we treated shankh bhasma on C. elegans and E. coli. C elegans produces more egg than normal calcium and there is no effect on E. coli. X-ray diffraction pattern and SEM analysis revealed that this Bhasma is in agglomerated nano crystalline materials and be considered as nanomedicine. An FTIR measurement reveals the bond stretching during the incineration process and found peaks of carboxylic group, Carbon with chloride and fluroide. Magnetization-Hysteresis (MH) loop study by the Vibrating sample magnetometer reveals that the di-magnetic nature of the Bhasma. Investigation of Shankh bhasma nanoparticles on C. elegen shows slightly increasing in egg production with compare to normal calcium oxide. There is not bacterial static effect was found on E.coli

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) – Clinicopathological study and treatment outcome of twenty-four cases

BACKGROUND: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is biologically an aggressive tumor for which the treatment of choice is the surgery. We reviewed the clinical profile, diagnostic methods, treatment patterns, and outcome of twenty-four MPNST patients in this study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 24 MPNST patients, treated from 1994 to 2002, in the department of Surgical Oncology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, was done. A combination of gross, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings, and proliferation markers (MIB1) were considered for diagnosis and grade of the MPNST. Survival analysis was done by the Kaplan-Meier method and differences were evaluated with the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was carried out by using Cox's proportional hazards model by using SPSS (Version 9, Chicago, Illinois) software. RESULTS: MPNST constituted 12% of all soft tissue sarcomas, where 21% (5/24) of patients had associated Von Recklinghausen's disease (VRHD). A higher incidence of male preponderance and multifocal MPNST were noted in the present series. At a mean follow-up of 38 months, 13 (54 %) patients had relapse of disease and 5-year over all and disease free survival were 58% and 35% respectively. In univariate analysis, sex (p = 0.05), tumor depth (p < 0.03), and cellular differentiation (p < 0.002) were shown to be adverse prognostic factors for disease free survival and sex (p = 0.04), cellular differentiation (p < 0.0004), and tumor grade (p = 0.05) for overall survival. However, in multivariate analysis, cellular differentiation (p < 0.005) and tumor grade (p < 0.01) emerged as independent prognostic factors for both disease free and overall survival, respectively. Postoperative radiotherapy (RT) has shown a definite role in both disease free and overall survival in this study. CONCLUSION: MPNSTs constituted a significant proportion (12%) of soft tissue sarcoma in our medical center. Heterogeneous differentiation and multifocality of the tumor were few distinct features of MPNST. Sex and cellular differentiation were noticed as the new adverse prognostic factors and adjuvant radiotherapy has been proved to be a significant treatment tool in the current series

Adsorbed Natural Gas Storage for Vehicular Applications

The use of adsorbed natural gas (ANG) as a transportation fuel is a relatively cleaner alternative compared to that of gasoline and is important from the perspective of environmental safety. However, unlike gasoline and diesel, natural gas requires compression, liquefaction, and adsorption techniques for its storage, as it has a very low volumetric energy density. Among all storage techniques, adsorption-based natural gas (ANG) storage is considered as more economical and relatively safe technology due to its mild temperature and pressure conditions for the storage. This chapter will summarize the recent advances in the area of ANG with reference to various synthetic storage materials recently developed for the purpose and their efficiency towards storage and deliverability of natural gas. Particular emphasis will be given to adsorbents based on porous carbon materials, metal organic frameworks, and covalent organic frameworks for the said application. The synthetic procedure for the above adsorbents, followed by their efficiency to store and deliver natural gas, will be discussed. Finally, in the conclusion, the future scope of the technology will be summarized

Thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics of an a-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis SKB4

An amylolytic bacterial strain, Bacillus licheniformis SKB4 produced maximum amylase at pH 6.5 at 42 °C, and at late stationary phase (24 h) of growth. Starch and peptone were found the best supporting carbon and nitrogen source with C:N ratio of 1:2 for amylase production. The purified enzyme was non-responsive to most of the metal ions except K+ and Mg++ (1.0 mM). The enzyme was stable and active at pH 6.5. The enzyme showed optimum temperature at 90 °C with 10 min of half life (t½) at 100 °C. The Q10 of the enzyme was 1.0. The thermodynamic principles like activation energy, free energy for substrate binding and transition state of the enzyme were found 31.53, 5.53 and -17.4 KJ/Mol of starch, respectively. The kinetic constant like Vmax, Km, K catand catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km)for starch were found to be 1.04 μmol mg-1 min-1, 6.2 mg ml-1,2 × 103 S-1 and 3.22 × 102 ml mg-1 S-1,respectively. All these findings suggested that this amylase has unique characteristics for starch hydrolysis in respect to thermostability and kinetic properties

Nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage in South Asian infants:Results of observational cohort studies in vaccinated and unvaccinated populations

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage (NPC) is a prerequisite for invasive pneumococcal disease and reduced carriage of vaccine serotypes is a marker for the protection offered by the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). The present study reports NPC during the first year of life in a vaccinated (with PCV10) cohort in Bangladesh and an unvaccinated cohort in India. METHODS: A total of 450 and 459 infants were recruited from India and Bangladesh respectively within 0-7 days after birth. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected at baseline, 18 and 36 weeks after birth. The swabs were processed for pneumococcal culture and identification of serotypes by the Quellung test and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). An identical protocol was applied at both sites. RESULTS: Prevalence of NPC was 48% in the Indian and 54.8% in the Bangladeshi cohort at 18 weeks. It increased to 53% and 64.8% respectively at 36 weeks. The average prevalence of vaccine serotypes was higher in the Indian cohort (17.8% vs 9.8% for PCV-10 and 26.1% vs17.6% for PCV-13) with 6A, 6B, 19F, 23F, and 19A as the common serotypes. On the other hand, the prevalence of non-vaccine serotypes was higher (43.6% vs 27.1% for non-PCV13) in the Bangladeshi cohort with 34, 15B, 17F, and 35B as the common serotypes. Overcrowding was associated with increased risk of pneumococcal carriage. The present PCV-13 vaccine would cover 28%-30% and 47%-48% serotypes in the Bangladeshi and Indian cohorts respectively. CONCLUSIONS: South Asian infants get colonised with pneumococci early in infancy; predominantly vaccine serotypes in PCV naïve population (India) and non-vaccine serotypes in the vaccinated population (Bangladesh). These local findings are important to inform the public health policy and the development of higher valent pneumococcal vaccines