US Consumers’ Perceptions of Garments Inspired by Indonesian Culture

Shipra Gupta,Nancy J,Miller 한국마케팅과학회 2010 Journal of Global Fashion Marketing Vol.1 No.2

It is evident that there has been increase in integration of global economies as trade barriers were lifted in 2005 resulting in free trade. After agriculture, marketing of hand-produced, cultural products constitutes the second most important source of income in less developed countries of the world. The objectives of this study were to examine US consumers’ perceptions of garments that were culturally inspired by a specific sending culture to better understand the following: (1) perceptions of garment familiarity and garment complexity; (2) the relationship between perceived familiarity and garment adoption/acceptance; (3) the relationship between perceived familiarity and garment adoption/acceptance; (4) acceptance for garments culturally inspired by consumers’ cultural setting or geographic location; (5) acceptance for garments culturally inspired among the different age groups ; and (6) delineation of US consumers’ cultural creativity. To accomplish this endeavor an instrument, developed for measuring consumers’ responses to design characteristics, was tested on US female consumers from five areas of the country and in two age categories. The instrument developed integrated visual stimuli of garments with Likert-type scales and provided consumer data for conducting basic research. Garment attributes included three styles, two color ways, and two fabric print (3 x 2 x 2) =12 garments. The analyses were exploratory in that concepts and relationships were evaluated in a non-causal approach to provide a basis for further research. Generalizatibility was addressed through analysis of multiple consumer groups; however the fashion aspects of the stimuli prevent broad-spectrum application. This study focuses on garments that are culturally inspired by Indonesia as the sending culture. Indonesia is a country with strong textile dyeing and printing traditions. Indonesia is open to westernized silhouettes and it is also an important global source for textiles and clothing production. The Indonesian textile and clothing industry is vertically integrated, encompassing almost every stage of production and contributes significantly to the country’s economy. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation theory provides a foundation for examining issues that inhibit or encourage the adoption of ideas, products, or technologies as they are introduced to individuals or groups of people. Within Roger’s model is a five stage innovation-decision process. This research is concerned with the persuasion stage where the individual forms a favorable or unfavorable attitude toward the innovation. The persuasion stage provided a foundation for examining relationships between familiarity, complexity, and acceptance of Indonesian inspired garments. The two persuasion characteristics of interest were compatibility and complexity of Indonesian inspired products for US consumers. Compatibility reflects how well an innovation is perceived to match existing social norms, needs, and expectations. Complexity concerns how difficult the innovation is perceived as to understand. Diffusion of Innovation is a generic adoption model for innovative ideas and products and was therefore somewhatrestrictive for applications to fashion product adoption. Sproles’Fashion Adoption Theory was thus also employed to understand the concepts of familiarity, complexity and acceptance in the context of women’s apparel attitudes of garment color, fabric print, and style. Also examined in this research were the differences in US consumer responses based on geographic location, age, and cultural creativity. Social influences, socioeconomic characteristics and behavioral norms fluctuate across the North American continent. Subnations are said to exist that define eight differing regions of the US and hold distinguishable characteristics. This research examined the following five subnations and their general US region.

Carbon nanotubes: synthesis, properties and engineering applications

Gupta Nikita,Gupta Shipra Mital,Sharma S. K. 한국탄소학회 2019 Carbon Letters Vol.29 No.5

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) represent one of the most unique materials in the field of nanotechnology. CNT are the allotrope of carbon having sp2 hybridization. CNT are considered to be rolled-up graphene with a nanostructure that can have a length to diameter ratio greater than 1,000,000. CNT can be single-, double-, and multi-walled. CNT have unique mechanical, electrical, and optical properties, all of which have been extensively studied. The novel properties of CNT are their light weight, small size with a high aspect ratio, good tensile strength, and good conducting characteristics, which make them useful for various applications. The present review is focused on the structure, properties, toxicity, synthesis methods, growth mechanism and their applications. Techniques that have been developed to synthesize CNT in sizeable quantities, including arc discharge, laser ablation, chemical vapor deposition, etc., have been explained. The toxic effect of CNT is also presented in a summarized form. Recent CNT applications showing a very promising glimpse into the future of CNT in nanotechnology such as optics, electronics, sensing, mechanical, electrical, storage, and other fields of materials science are presented in the review.

Elucidation of Mechanism of Action of Cassia auriculata Leaf Extract for Its Antidiabetic Activity in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Shipra Gupta,Suman B. Sharma,Usha R. Singh,Surendra K. Bansal,Krishna M. Prabhu 한국식품영양과학회 2010 Journal of medicinal food Vol.13 No.3

Cassia auriculata traditionally has been used to treat diabetes from ancient times. The objective of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of action for the antidiabetic activity of aqueous leaf extract of C. auriculata (CLEt) in streptozotocin-induced mildly diabetic (MD) and severely diabetic (SD) rats. CLEt was orally administered to MD and SD rats at a dose of 400mg/kg once a day for 15 days. CLEt-treated MD and SD rats showed significant reduction in fasting blood glucose. Assessment of plasma insulin and C-peptide following treatment with CLEt revealed significant elevation in their levels. Administration of CLEt enhanced the activity of hepatic hexokinase and phosphofructokinase and suppressed glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase in both MD and SD rats. A significant rise in glycogen content was also observed in both liver and muscles of CLEt-fed MD and SD rats. Histopathological examination of pancreatic sections revealed increased number of islets and β-cells in CLEt-treated MD as well as SD rats. The findings of the study suggest that the antidiabetic effect of CLEt could be due to its insulinogenic action. In addition, impaired glucose homeostasis was improved by feeding the extract through amelioration in the carbohydrate metabolic pathways. Thus, the extract may exert an antidiabetic effect through pancreatic as well as extrapancreatic action.

Carbon nanotubes: synthesis, properties and engineering applications

Nikita Gupta,Shipra Mital Gupta,S. K. Sharma 한국탄소학회 2019 Carbon Letters Vol.29 No.5

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) represent one of the most unique materials in the field of nanotechnology. CNT are the allotrope of carbon having sp2 hybridization. CNT are considered to be rolled-up graphene with a nanostructure that can have a length to diameter ratio greater than 1,000,000. CNT can be single-, double-, and multi-walled. CNT have unique mechanical, electrical, and optical properties, all of which have been extensively studied. The novel properties of CNT are their light weight, small size with a high aspect ratio, good tensile strength, and good conducting characteristics, which make them useful for various applications. The present review is focused on the structure, properties, toxicity, synthesis methods, growth mechanism and their applications. Techniques that have been developed to synthesize CNT in sizeable quantities, including arc discharge, laser ablation, chemical vapor deposition, etc., have been explained. The toxic effect of CNT is also presented in a summarized form. Recent CNT applications showing a very promising glimpse into the future of CNT in nanotechnology such as optics, electronics, sensing, mechanical, electrical, storage, and other fields of materials science are presented in the review.

Umbilical cord ulceration: An underdiagnosed entity

( Barkha Maheshwari ),( Maitrayee Roy ),( Shipra Agarwal ),( S Devi ),( Ashu Singh ),( Nita Khurana ),( Sangeeta Gupta ) 대한산부인과학회 2016 Obstetrics & Gynecology Science Vol.59 No.5

Umbilical cord ulceration is a rare condition presenting with sudden fetal bradycardia due to fetal hemorrhage and in most cases leading to intrauterine death. A strong association with intestinal atresia has been reported. Most cases present after 30 weeks of gestation, with preterm labor or rupture of membranes followed by sudden fetal bradycardia. We report two such cases of umbilical cord ulceration and review the available literature. One of the cases interestingly presented at 26 weeks, much earlier than what is reported in the world literature. In view of high perinatal mortality and morbidity, awareness of this condition is mandatory for timely and appropriate management to improve the fetal outcome.

Accelerated hypofractionated breast radiotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost: a feasibility study

Budhi Singh Yadav,Shipra Gupta,Divya Dahiya,Ankita Gupta,Arun Singh Oinam 대한방사선종양학회 2022 Radiation Oncology Journal Vol.40 No.2

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 27 patients after breast-conserving surgery were included in this study. Patients were planned on a four-dimensional computerized tomogram, and contouring was done using RTOG guidelines. The dose was 34 Gy/10#/2 week to the breast and 40 Gy/10#/2 week to the tumor bed as SIB with volumetric modulated arc technique. The primary endpoint was grade 2 acute skin toxicity. Doses to the organs-at-risk were calculated. Toxicities and cosmesis were assessed using RTOG/LENT/SOMA and HARVARD/NSABP/RTOG grading scales, respectively. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated with Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: The mean age of the patients was 42 years. Left and right breast cancers were seen in 17 (63%) and 10 (37%) patients, respectively. The mean values of ipsilateral lung V₁₆ and contralateral lung V₅ were 16.01% and 3.74%, respectively. The mean heart doses from the left and right breast were 7.25 Gy and 4.37 Gy, respectively. The mean doses to the contralateral breast, oesophagus, and Dmax to brachial plexus were 2.64 Gy, 3.69 Gy, and 26.95 Gy, respectively. The mean value of thyroid V₂₅ was 19.69%. Grade 1 and 2 acute skin toxicities were observed in 9 (33%) and 5 (18.5%) patients, respectively. Grade 2 hyperpigmentation, edema, and induration were observed in 1 (3.7%), 2 (7.4%), and 4 (14.8%) patients, respectively. Mild breast pain and arm/shoulder discomfort were reported by 1 (3.4%) patient. The median follow-up was 51 months (range, 12 to 61 months). At four years, breast induration, edema, and fibrosis were observed in 1 (3.7%) patient. Cosmesis was excellent and good in 21 (78%) and 6 (22%) patients, respectively. Local recurrence and distant metastases occurred in 1 (3.7%) and 2 (7.4%) patients, respectively. DFS and OS at four years were 88% and 92%, respectively. Conclusion: With this radiotherapy schedule, acute and late toxicity rates were acceptable with no adverse cosmesis. Local control, DFS, and OS were good.

Unusual Uptake of Prostate Specific Tracer ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC in a Benign Thyroid Nodule

Damle, Nishikant Avinash,Tripathi, Madhavi,Chakraborty, Partha Sarathi,Sahoo, Manas Kumar,Bal, Chandrasekhar,Aggarwal, Shipra,Arora, Geetanjali,Kumar, Praveen,Kumar, Rajeev,Gupta, Ravikant The Korea Society of Nuclear Medicine 2016 핵의학 분자영상 Vol.50 No.4

$^{68}Ga$-Prostate specific membrane antigen- N,N′-bis[2-hydroxy-5-(carboxyethyl)benzyl]ethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetic acid- positron emission tomography/computed tomography or 68 Ga- HBED-CC-PSMA PET/CT, popularly known as PSMA PET/CT, is able to detect a small volume of recurrent prostate carcinoma (PC) when there is a prostate specific antigen (PSA) rise on follow-up after prostatectomy or other definitive treatment for PC. The use of PSMA PET/CT in the initial staging in PC is uncertain at this time. Clinical studies are underway to define its exact role in the management of the disease. At the same time it is important to be aware of unexpected sites of uptake of this ligand. We present here the case of a 62-year-old male patient who underwent prostatectomy for adenocarcinoma prostate. He also had a long-standing left solitary thyroid nodule (STN). Four months after surgery, he had a rising trend in serum PSA levels on three occasions, but the absolute value was less than 4 at all times. He underwent a $^{68}Ga$-PSMA-HBED-CC PET/CT, but it did not reveal any recurrent/metastatic site of disease. However, there was increased tracer uptake in the left STN. Fine needle aspiration cytology revealed features of atypia of undetermined significance, Bethesda category III. The patient underwent a left hemithyroidectomy and the histopathology showed features of a follicular adenoma.