Investigating international new product diffusion speed: A semiparametric approach

Global marketing managers are interested in understanding the speed of the new product diffusion process and how the speed has changed in our ever more technologically advanced and global marketplace. Understanding the process allows firms to forecast the expected rate of return on their new products and develop effective marketing strategies. The most recent major study on this topic [Marketing Science 21 (2002) 97--114] investigated new product diffusions in the United States. We expand upon that study in three important ways. (1) Van den Bulte notes that a similar study is needed in the international context, especially in developing countries. Our study covers four new product diffusions across 31 developed and developing nations from 1980--2004. Our sample accounts for about 80% of the global economic output and 60% of the global population, allowing us to examine more general phenomena. (2) His model contains the implicit assumption that the diffusion speed parameter is constant throughout the diffusion life cycle of a product. Recognizing the likely effects on the speed parameter of recent changes in the marketplace, we model the parameter as a semiparametric function, allowing it the flexibility to change over time. (3) We perform a variable selection to determine that the number of internet users and the consumer price index are strongly associated with the speed of diffusion.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/11-AOAS519 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Suitability of Duckweed (Lemna minor) as Feed for Fish in Polyculture System

In the present study, we conducted an experiment to evaluate the effects of duckweed (Lemna minor) as feed on fish production in polyculture. The experiment had 2 treatments where in treatment 1 (T1) ponds were supplied with duckweed as feed and in treatment 2 (T2) ponds were kept as control (without supply of duckweed). Average survival rates in T1 and T2 were 90 and 89%, respectively. The specific growth rates (SGR) were higher in T1. Calculated net production in T1 was 6.25 tons ha.-1 yr.-1 and in T2 was 2.84 tons ha.-1 yr.-1. The ranges of physico-chemical parameters analyzed were within the productive limit and more or less similar in all the ponds under both treatments during the experimental period. There were 24 genera of phytoplankton under 5 major groups and 10 genera of zooplankton under 3 major groups found in the experimental ponds. The net production in T1 was significantly higher than that of T2 indicated the use of duckweed as feed for fishes is economically sustainable in polyculture. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v2i1.13994 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 2 (1): 42-46, June, 201

Environmental Impacts of Ship Breaking and Recycling Industry of Sitakunda, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Ship dismantling of Bangladesh is a reason of concern due to its economic values and environmental hazards. This study focuses on the Ship Breaking and Recycling Industry (SBRI) of Bangladesh to assess the environmental impacts. It was done by analyzing the water quality parameters like, Turbidity, Salinity, Electric conductivity (EC), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Temperature, Ammonia-Nitrogen, Nitrate–Nitrogen, Phosphate concentrations of inside and surroundings of Ship Breaking Yard. Turbidity ranged from 7.71 to 119 FTU in and 4.07 to 41.74 FTU in inside and outside the ship breaking yard, respectively. Salinity ranged from 0.95 to 14.28 ppt and 0.06 to 0.79 ppt in insde and outside, respectively. Value of EC varied from1.75 to 1280 µs/cm in inside and 0.21 to 15.7 µs/cm in outside, DO ranged from 3.77 to 7.94 mg/l in inside and 1.95 to 5.34 mg/l in outside. TDS value ranged from1280 to 15340 mg/l in inside and 74 to 825 mg/l in outside of ship breaking yard. Ammonia-N value ranged from 0.46 to 7.046 mg/l, Nitrate-N value ranged from 0.10 to 6.9 mg/l and Phosphate value ranged from 0.175 to 4.75 mg/l in the analyzed water sample. Magnitude of environmental alteration by establishment of ship breaking industry was assessed by quantifying Environmental impact value of Study area and the value was found as -93, where ecological parameters value was found -72, Physico-chemical parameters value was -70 and human interest value was found +49 which indicate negative alteration on environment

BERA in the detection of hearing loss in high risk children: an observational study in two tertiary care teaching hospitals in upper Assam region

Background: Significant hearing loss affects children globally (1-3/1,000 infants at birth). Early diagnosis (<6 months age) and subsequent early intervention facilitates normal development of language, regardless of the severity of hearing loss. Methods: A hospital-based, descriptive, retrospective study was done in two tertiary-care centres of Upper Assam region, upon total (55 + 46 =) 101 high risk children (<15 years) during a study period of 1 year. Patients were subjected to a questionnaire, and hearing tests (BERA/OAE) were performed. Results: Majority of the cases were <5 years of age, with male preponderance (66.30% cases). NICU graduates with history of ototoxic medications/mechanical ventilation, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and caregiver concern were the common presenting risk factors identified. Conclusions: 49.50% cases (n=50) suffered from hearing loss [most common was severe degree of hearing loss, n= 24].  75% cases in AMCH and 63.6% in LMCH with caregiver concern, 55.55% cases in AMCH and 50% in LMCH with past neonatal hyperbilirubinemia; 50% cases with positive family history; and 46.66% NICU graduates tested positive for hearing loss. Ideally, all high risk children <15 years should be screened for hearing loss with earliest intervention and rehabilitation, to enable them to lead a normal life and reduce the burden of handicap in the community

The Schrodinger equation with Hulthen potential plus ring-shaped potential

We present the solutions of the Schr$\ddot{o}$dinger equation with the Hulth$\acute{e}$n potential plus ring-shape potential for $\ell\neq 0$ states within the framework of an exponential approximation of the centrifugal potential.Solutions to the corresponding angular and radial equations are obtained in terms of special functions using the conventional Nikiforov-Uvarov method. The normalization constant for the Hulth$\acute{e}$n potential is also computed.Comment: Typed with LateX,12 Pages, Typos correcte

Extensive intraductal component positive carcinoma of breast: two year study with special reference to ER/PR/HER2NEU/Ki67 in a tertiary care centre of Barak Valley

Background: Extensive intraductal component positive carcinoma (EICPC) of breast is defined by Schnitt et al as-A. 25% or more of Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is present along the invasive lesion and DCIS is also present outside the area of invasive carcinoma. B. EICPC also include carcinomas in which DCIS is associated with a “small” (approximately 10 mm or less) invasive carcinoma or carcinomas. In Extensive Intraductal Carcinoma (EIDC) most of the cases were associated with recurrence when surgical margin status is not evaluated or focally involved. Our objective was to study the prevalence of EIDC and expression of estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR)/human epidermal growth factor (HER2NEU)/Ki67(antigen identified by monoclonal antibody KI67) in those cases.Methods: It was a retrospective cross sectional study conducted over a period of 2017 to August 2019.All the histologically confirmed cases of EIDC was retrieved from the institute.Results: Out of 65 cases of invasive carcinoma 17 (26.1%) cases were positive for EICPC. Age of patients ranged from 27 to 73years with mean age of 43 years and 5 patients (29.4%) were postmenopausal. Most of the cases  i.e. 6(35.2%) had a ER+/PR+/HER2NEU- status with most of the cases having high 6(47%)Ki-67 index. According to the BLOOM RICHARDSON GRADING 14 cases were grade II (82.3%) and 3 cases were grade I (17.7%) and in pT and pN staging majority were stage pT1 - 7 (41.1%). Most of the cases were mastectomy cases 11 (64.4%) with a base free status except in one lumpectomy case where margin was involved.Conclusions: In this study majority of the cases were ER+//PR+/HER2NEU- with most of the cases having high Ki67 index. Evaluation of EIDC, along with the negative margin status is important to prevent recurrence