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Stabilising inflation around certain preconceived level remains the predominant objective of monetary authorities all over the world as its variability has crucial ramifications on the real economy. However, the effective operation of monetary policy to this end largely hinges on the nature and dynamics of inflation both in the short‐run and long‐run. In this context, the present study focuses on theoretical investigation of how crude oil price fluctuations affect inflation in a real economy. Moreover, the study examines the nature of relationship between crude oil price fluctuations and inflation and its impact with reference to Indian economy.The study suggest that, in India, although the price of petroleum products are insulated against international crude oil price fluctuations by way of subsidies in order to curb inflation, in the long run, inflation manifest itself in the form of worsening fiscal deficit and undermine the sustainability of public debt. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In the present study, we investigate the long memory dynamics in crude oil markets from an adaptive market hypothesis (AMH) perspective. In doing so, we subject the three regional crude oil benchmarks, namely, West Texas Intermediate, Brent and Dubai crude prices to a rolling Hurst exponent analysis. Subsequently, we test for homogeneity in the degree of efficiency of crude oil benchmarks using a battery of nonparametric tests. In light of the heterogeneity in the degree of efficiency that was uncovered, we offer a relative ranking of the three benchmarks considered for the study. Our findings reveal WTI market to be relatively the most efficient followed by Brent and Dubai markets. Further, by using an extensive dataset of over 36 years, we find crude oil markets to be efficient for the most part of the study period, only to be interspersed with transient and short‐lived periods of market inefficiency. Lastly, the important implications that the study's findings have on various stakeholders are also discussed.

The paper is an attempt to understand and differentiate the significance of financial inclusion in the context of India wherein a large population is deprived of financial services, which are very much essential for an overall economic and inclusive growth. The paper discusses the problem of financial exclusion and the socioeconomic impact of financial inclusion on the underprivileged. We go a step further through a normative discussion of India's journey so far in this respect and highlight the impediments to financial inclusion. The paper also suggests a few critical dimensions that are to be taken care of so as to accelerate deep‐rooted penetration of financial services.

The rising awareness of consumers regarding the adverse effects of the ever increasing ecological footprint has given rise to green consumerism. The idea is often encouraged but it can be enhanced only by a collective effort of consumers, firms, and governments. The article builds on the existing literature on green consumerism where it is, by and large, misconceived to be unidirectional—such that the burden of reducing human impressions on ecosystem falls only on the shoulders of consumers. The study reasons about the need for consumer initiatives to be supported with relevant policies and regulations from the government and through socially responsible corporate actions.The authors explore multiple dimensions of green consumerism and analyze in detail the scope and reach of green business practices in our ongoing strive to sustainability. The article highlights the actions required from the firms to make use of the opportunities provided by green consumerist ideas and the evolving consumer base. It explores the ways in which a business can adopt to become socially responsible by reaching green consumers. The article further identifies the need and impact of green marketing for eco‐friendly products, to penetrate to the expanding consumer base.

The increasing interest in sustainable modes of transport such as public transport has triggered the need for evaluation of accessibility to and from the transit service. Accessibility to the transit service determines the service attractiveness and hence better accessibility increases the demand. Although accessibility has been the focus of research in the past few decades, it still remains a concept that has been poorly defined and hence finding a theoretically good and operationally sound measure of accessibility is a challenging task. The objective of this paper is to develop a composite public transport accessibility index using Geographic Information System (GIS) as a case study of an Indian city, Trivandrum. This concept is a spatio-temporal GIS-based public transport accessibility model which includes travel modes of walking and bus transit, travel impedance and service coverage of the transit network. The methodology used in the study is based on the factor that the index should measure the accessibility which comes from proximity to bus stops and land use destinations and the proportion of the population served.

We examine how interaction between mid-level managers in technical committees facilitates subsequent alliance formation in a longitudinal study of 87 cellular service providers and equipment manufacturers. Joint participation by firms in technical committees helps them identify potential alliance partners and particular opportunities for technical collaboration. This effect is magnified by sustained participation by individuals on behalf of their firms, demonstrating that interfirm relationships are enhanced by the interpersonal bonds that are forged in technical committees. In contrast, we find that the effect of joint technical committee participation on alliance formation decreases as firms have more prior alliances, suggesting that technical committees provide a more critical avenue for knowledge exchange when firms do not have the luxury of exchanging information through contractual linkages. Taken together, these findings suggest one venue where managerial action can transform existing social structure, because technical committee activity facilitates the entry of less-established firms into alliance networks.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that An­giotensin II (Ang II) is a contributing factor to the response pattern in African Americans (AAs) who retain rather than excrete sodium during mental stress.Design/Study Participants: Double-blind, randomized, cross-over trial of 87 healthy AAs aged 18 to 50 years.Interventions: The study participants received either a placebo or irbesartan, (150 mg PO), an Ang II receptor antagonist, for seven days prior to stress testing. Urinary sodium excretion (UNaV) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were collected prior to and throughout a mental stress protocol (rest and stress period).Setting: A southeastern university.Main Outcome Measures: Ang II, SBP, and sodium retention.Results: During the placebo condition, 62 participants showed the expected increase in UNaV (excreters) while 25 participants reduced UNaV during stress (retainers). Irbesartan retainers demonstrated a reversal in the direction of their natriuretic response, now increasing UNaV in response to stress (Δ UNaV of -.094 mmol/min with placebo vs .052 mmol/min on irbesartan; P<.001). In excreters, irbesartan reduced SBP levels during both rest (-2.36 mm Hg; P=.03) and stress (-4.59;P<.0001), and an even more pronounced reduction in SBP was dem­onstrated by retainers on treatment during both rest (-4.29 mm Hg; P=.03) and stress (-6.12; P<.001).Conclusions: Ang II contributes to sodium retention in retainers. Furthermore, our findings indicate that suppression of Ang II has a beneficial effect on SBP during rest and stress in this population.Ethn Dis. 2018;28(4):511-516; doi:10.18865/ed.28.4.511.

Aims Although acute heart failure (AHF) with volume overload is treated with loop diuretics, their dosing and type of administration are mainly based upon expert opinion. A recent position paper from the Heart Failure Association (HFA) proposed a step-wise pharmacologic diuretic strategy to increase the diuretic response and to achieve rapid decongestion. However, no study has evaluated this protocol prospectively. Methods and results The Efficacy of a Standardized Diuretic Protocol in Acute Heart Failure (ENACT-HF) study is an international, multicentre, non-randomized, open-label, pragmatic study in AHF patients on chronic loop diuretic therapy, admitted to the hospital for intravenous loop diuretic therapy, aiming to enrol 500 patients. Inclusion criteria are as follows: at least one sign of volume overload (oedema, ascites, or pleural effusion), use >= 40 mg of furosemide or equivalent for >1 month, and a BNP > 250 ng/L or an N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide > 1000 pg/L. The study is designed in two sequential phases. During Phase 1, all centres will treat consecutive patients according to the local standard of care. In the Phase 2 of the study, all centres will implement a standardized diuretic protocol in the next cohort of consecutive patients. The protocol is based upon the recently published HFA algorithm on diuretic use and starts with intravenous administration of two times the oral home dose. It includes early assessment of diuretic response with a spot urinary sodium measurement after 2 h and urine output after 6 h. Diuretics will be tailored further based upon these measurements. The study is powered for its primary endpoint of natriuresis after 1 day and will be able to detect a 15% difference with 80% power. Secondary endpoints are natriuresis and diuresis after 2 days, change in congestion score, change in weight, in-hospital mortality, and length of hospitalization. Conclusions The ENACT-HF study will investigate whether a step-wise diuretic approach, based upon early assessment of urinary sodium and urine output as proposed by the HFA, is feasible and able to improve decongestion in AHF with volume overload. ; foundation Limburg Sterk Merk (LSM); province of Limburg; Flemish Government; ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg; Jessa Hospital