Similarities and differences in forming purchase intention toward a US apparel brand: a comparison of Chinese and Indian consumers

This study attempts to identify in what aspects China and India are different and similar in forming consumer attitudes and purchase intentions toward US apparel brand goods. To this end, this study proposed a composite model incorporating the theory of planned behavior and a modified Fishbein model, and empirically compared the model with data collected in China and India. Structural equation modeling results yielded both similarities and differences in patterns of significance and the direction of effects for specific hypothesized paths. Differences were found in the paths of face saving → attitude, face saving → purchase intention (paths were positive and significant in the Chinese sample but non-significant in the Indian sample), group conformity → attitude and group conformity → purchase intention (paths were positive and significant in the Indian sample but non-significant in the Chinese sample). Similarities between two countries were found in the rest of the proposed paths. Based on the findings, discussions and implications were provided.     

Trend of soft contact lens prescribing in an optometry centre in India: A 6-year analysis

This six-year retrospective longitudinal study was conducted to examine the changes in the pattern of prescribing soft contact lenses in an optometry centre located in a University in South India. Details regarding the type of lenses, lens material, wearing pattern and the clinical diagnoses were analyzed from January 2006 to December 2011. A total of 1273 soft contact lens fits (n = 1273) were analyzed. Two-third of the total lenses dispensed was for females and their mean age (24.0 ± 8.3 yrs) was less than that of male (27.0 ± 11.2 yrs) lens users. Nearly 70% of them had myopia and 48% wore conventional soft contact lenses. During the studied six years, the percentage of conventional lenses declined by 60%. This study demonstrated a gradual and significant increase in popularity of disposable contact lenses and silicone hydrogel lens material which is comparable to the global trend.     

印度富矿粉在首钢烧结生产中的应用

介绍了首钢与香港嘉鑫公司联合委托北京科技大学进行的用印度富矿替代秘鲁粗精矿的烧结试验。通过试验,初步掌握了印度帕拉迪拉、多尼马来富矿粉的烧结性能。生产实践表明,印度富矿粉具有较好的烧结性能。     

印度果阿矿粉的烧结性能初探

介绍了太钢烧结配用印度果阿矿粉的烧结试验研究,实验室试验和工业试验结果表明：印度果阿矿粉的烧结性能及冶金性能与H．I矿粉的差别不大,能够适于太钢烧结生产之用。同时,对太网烧结使用果阿矿粉的适宜条件进行了初步分析。     

印度电信业的改革、管制与发展

印度是一个发展中的大中,从上世纪80年代开始进行电信改革,主要涉及到机构的调整、相应的立法和运营公司的私营化。目前印度的电信业在近中期的发展上都做了一些预测和规划。印度在移动通信、因特网、软件业和电子商务等方面,都有一些积极的举措和政策,使这些领域都获得了蓬勃发展的势头。     

In Depth: Inscribing the Indian Landscape

When India was colonised by the British in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was systematically surveyed and delineated in map form for administrative and political purposes. Here, Anuradha Mathur and Dilip da Cunha urge a new, ‘deeper’ reading of the landscape that fully acknowledges the multiple uses and potential initiations of public spaces. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Atmospheric emissions from road transportation in India

India has become one of the biggest emitters of atmospheric pollutants from the road transportation sector globally. Here we present an up-to-date inventory of the exhaust emissions of ten species. This inventory has been calculated bottom-up from the vehicle mileage, differentiating by seven vehicle categories, four age/technology layers and three fuel types each, for the seven biggest cities as well as for the whole nation. The age composition of the rolling fleet has been carefully modelled, deducting about one quarter of vehicles still registered but actually out-of-service. The vehicle mileage is calibrated to the national fuel consumption which is essential to limit uncertainties. Sensitivity analyses reveal the primary impact of the emission factors and the secondary influence of vehicle mileage and stock composition on total emissions. Emission estimates since 1980 are reviewed and qualified. A more comprehensive inspection and maintenance is essential to limit pollutant emissions; this must properly include commercial vehicles. They are also the most important vehicle category to address when fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions shall be contained.     

Import demand of crude oil and economic growth: Evidence from India

This study establishes a long-run equilibrium relationship among quantity of crude oil import, income and price of the imported crude in India for the time span 1970–1971 to 2005–2006 using autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach of cointegration. Empirical results show that the long-term income elasticity of imported crude in India is 1.97 and there exists a unidirectional long-run causality running from economic growth to crude oil import. So reduction of crude oil import will not affect the future economic growth in India in the long-run. India should take various energy efficiency and demand side management measures in transport sector along with other measures like expanding and strengthening indigenous resource-base, substituting imported fuels by domestic fuels and de-controlling the price of petroleum products to reduce its import dependence.     

Arsenic groundwater contamination and its health effects in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in upper and middle Ganga plain, India: a severe danger

This communication presents results of our 2-year survey on groundwater arsenic contamination in three districts Ballia, Varanasi and Gazipur of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in the upper and middle Ganga plain, India. Analyses of 4,780 tubewell water samples revealed that arsenic concentrations in 46.5% exceeded 10 microg/L, in 26.7%, 50 microg/L and in 10% 300 microg/L limits. Arsenic concentrations up to 3,192 microg//L were observed. The age of tubewells (n=1,881) ranged from less than a year to 32 years, with an average of 6.5 years. Our study shows that older tubewells had a greater chance of contamination. Depth of tubewells (n=3,810) varied from 6 to 60.5 m with a mean of 25.75 m. A detailed study in three administrative units within Ballia district, i.e. block, Gram Panchayet, and village was carried out to assess the magnitude of the contamination. Before our survey the affected villagers were not aware that they were suffering from arsenical toxicity through contaminated drinking water. A preliminary clinical examination in 11 affected villages (10 from Ballia and 1 from Gazipur district) revealed typical arsenical skin lesions ranging from melanosis, keratosis to Bowens (suspected). Out of 989 villagers (691 adults, and 298 children) screened, 137 (19.8%) of the adults and 17 (5.7%) of the children were diagnosed to have typical arsenical skin lesions. Arsenical neuropathy and adverse obstetric outcome were also observed, indicating severity of exposure. The range of arsenic concentrations in hair, nail and urine was 137-10,900, 764-19,700 microg/kg, and 23-4,030 microg/L, respectively. The urine, hair and nail concentrations of arsenic correlated significantly (r=0.76, 0.61, and 0.55, respectively) with drinking water arsenic concentrations. The similarity to previous studies on arsenic contamination in West Bengal, Bihar and Bangladesh indicates that people from a significant part of the surveyed areas in UP are suffering and this will spread unless drives to raise awareness of arsenic toxicity are undertaken and an arsenic safe water supply is immediately introduced.