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Maximal matching cover pebbling number for variants of hypercube
An edge pebbling move is defined as the removal of two pebbles from one edge and placing one on the adjacent edge. The maximal matching cover pebbling number, fmmcp(G), of a graph G, is the minimum number of pebbles that must be placed on E(G), such that after a sequence of pebbling moves the set of edges with pebbles forms a maximal matching regardless of the initial configuration. In this paper, we find the maximal matching cover pebbling number for variants of hypercube. (2023), (SciELO-Scientific Electronic Library Online). All Rights Reserved. -
Maximised bioethanol extraction from bamboo biomass through alkali pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification by application of ANN-NSGA-II-based optimisation method
The demand for alternative fuels is growing due to the depletion of fossil fuel resources. Non-edible resources are explored as alternatives, and a bamboo is an up-and-coming option for producing ethanol. The extraction process for bioethanol from bamboo involves alkali pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, and ethanol production. The bamboo biomass is treated with alkali at high temperatures and pressure. This treatment helps break the lignin bonds that hinder the reaction between cellulose and enzymes. As a result, the pretreated biomass contains 40% less lignin than its raw form. Next, the air-dried pretreated biomass undergoes saccharification using Supercut Acid Cellulose. The saccharification process is optimised to achieve the shortest possible time, determined through prediction models based on artificial neural networks and optimisation techniques like Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II. The optimised process involves specific biomass and enzyme loading, producing reducing sugars estimated using the DNS method. Following enzymatic Saccharification, the hydrolysate is fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a type of yeast. This fermentation process yields ethanol with a 1614.26mg/kg concentration. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. -
Maximizing Bifunctionality for Overall Water Splitting by Integrating H2 Spillover and Oxygen Vacancies in CoPBO/Co3O4 Composite Catalyst
In the pursuit of utilizing renewable energy sources for green hydrogen (H2) production, alkaline water electrolysis has emerged as a key technology. To improve the reaction rates of overall water electrolysis and simplify electrode manufacturing, development of bifunctional electrocatalysts is of great relevance. Herein, CoPBO/Co3O4 is reported as a binary composite catalyst comprising amorphous (CoPBO) and crystalline (Co3O4) phases as a high-performing bifunctional electrocatalyst for alkaline water electrolysis. Owing to the peculiar properties of CoPBO and Co3O4, such as complementing Gibbs free energy values for H-adsorption (?GH) and relatively smaller difference in their work functions (??), the composite exhibits H2 spillover (HS) mechanism to facilitate the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The outcome is manifested in the form of a low HER overpotential of 65 mV (at 10 mA cm?2). Moreover, an abundant amount of surface oxygen vacancies (Ov) are observed in the same CoPBO/Co3O4 composite that facilitates oxygen evolution reaction (OER) as well, leading to a mere 270 mV OER overpotential (at 10 mA cm?2). The present work showcases the possibilities to strategically design non-noble composite catalysts that combine the advantages of HS phenomenon as well as Ov to achieve new record performances in alkaline water electrolysis. 2024 The Author(s). Small Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH. -
Mayfly Algorithm for Optimal Integration of Hybrid Photovoltaic / Battery Energy Storage / D-STATCOM System for Islanding Operation
In today's power system design studies, autonomous and self-healing capabilities are becoming increasingly important. Renewable energy (RE) integration, on the other hand, is geared at long-term sustainability. In this regard, a hybrid energy system consisting of a photovoltaic (PV) source, battery energy storage (BESS), and distribution-static synchronous compensator (D-STATCOM) is proposed for optimal design and integration in the electrical distribution network (EDN) when short-term islanding operational requirements are taken into account. When considering grid-connected mode, the PV system is initially optimally allocated towards loss minimization. Following that, the capacities of BESS and D-STATCOM are assessed in the context of a short-term islanding scenario. The optimization problem is tackled utilising a recent meta-heuristic mayfly optimization algorithm (MOA) in both stages. The simulations are run on an IEEE 33-bus EDN network. By having optimal PV system in grid-connected mode, it is observed that real power losses are reduced to 111.03 kW from 210.998 kW and reactive power losses are reduced to 81.684 kVAr from 143.033 kVAr. In addition, the minimum voltage in the network is raised to 0.9424 p.u. from 0.9038 p.u. On the other hand, by designing hybrid energy systems using PV, BESS, and D-STATCOM, the network is able to serve the entire load even under islanding conditions. MOA's competitiveness in solving difficult non-linear multivariable optimization problems was demonstrated in comparative research with literature publications. In addition, the proposed hybrid energy system can cope with the uncertainties and other requirements of current grids. 2022. All Rights Reserved. -
Meaningfulness and Experience of Perimenopausal Women During the Pandemic in India: A Mixed-Method Study
The perimenopausal transition marks a significant phase in womens lives, and the unforeseen challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic added complexity to this already intricate period. We investigated the mediating role of satisfaction with life between meaning in life and quality of life and adaptive strategies employed by perimenopausal women during the pandemic in India. Findings showed satisfaction with life as a strong mediator between meaning in life and quality of life. Thematic analysis identified a global theme of meaning in uncertainty and organizing themes: finding solace in self and actionable insights. The study emphasizes the need for understanding the meaning-making processes and adaptive strategies employed by women navigating perimenopause in the face of unprecedented global challenges. 2024 Society for Menstrual Cycle Research. -
Measurement of Corporate Social Responsibility of Financial Companies in the Indian Context
Purpose: This study aimed to measure the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of financial companies (banks and NBFCs) in India. This paper used content analysis to quantify the CSR performance of financial companies. Financial institutions loan money to businesses utilizing assets owned by saving bank account holders, thereby heightening their societal responsibility. Methodology: Data from 63 financial companies listed on the National Stock Exchange from 20142015 to 20202021 were considered. Cronbachs alpha, descriptive statistics, and z-score test were used in this research to check the reliability and normality of the CSR scores. Findings: The results showed that private sector banks proactively participated in social activities compared to public sector banks (PSB) and non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs). Scores of CSR improved during the study period. Practical Implications: The study will allow future research because every issue and factor considered in the scale needs attention to benefit humankinds future generations. Calculated CSR scores could be used to measure the impact on the financial performance of companies. Originality: Unlike prior research on corporate social responsibility, the current work built a model to measure the CSR of financial companies. 2023, Associated Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd.. All rights reserved. -
Measurement of financial inclusion status of India
Financial inclusion provides access to formal financial system for all members of the society. Financial inclusion leads to inclusive financial system which has several merits. Financial inclusion facilitates rational allocation of productive resources and thus can potentially reduce the cost of capital. Efforts towards financial inclusion have been undertaken in India for several years. These financial inclusion initiatives have yielded fruitful results for the people to access and use formal financial system. Further, these initiatives led to better penetration of banking system, credit penetration and savings penetration. However, financial exclusion is common phenomena in India among poor and weaker sections. This article has made an attempt to measure state of financial inclusion in India using access indicators, usage indicators and quality indicators of financial inclusion. IAEME Publication. -
Measurement of financial inclusion status of India /
International Journal of Mechanical Engineering And Technology, Vol.9, Issue 7, pp.354-364, ISSN Print: 0976-6340. ISSN Online: 0976-6359. -
Measures of superstitious beliefs: A meta-analytic review of research
Superstition is a term which is widely used across the globe but, is understood differently by people from different cultures. Superstitious beliefs are challenged by emerging scientific knowledge, and they continue to persist even among advanced societies. In recent years, superstitions are viewed as a belief in luck. The instruments that are available to assess this phenomenon are few and have insufficient psychometric properties. There is a need for developing new standardised measures which explore the complex, conceptual nature of superstitions. A meta-analysis of existing literature was done to explore the existing measures of superstitious beliefs and to examine the relationship between reliability of scales and the various attributes of scales. A literature search was conducted in relevant databases. Suitable transformation procedures for coefficient alpha were used. Meta-regression analysis was done to explore the heterogeneity of data. 41 scales measuring superstitions were analysed. Results indicate that reliability coefficients were from heterogeneous samples. Regression analysis revealed that few characteristics of scales predicted reliability. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. -
Measuring Financial Inclusion in India: An Approach
In light of the COVID-19-induced financial crisis, the need for robust financial services and networks has become more apparent than ever, which necessitated the accurate measurement of the breadth of financial inclusion in India. First, the study conducted a detailed critical review of the current indices and their construction methodology. Then, we created a financial inclusion index for India by accounting for the flaws existing in the current indices. The primary contribution of this study to the existing literature is the new approach it proposed for the assignment of weights in the financial inclusion index. Based on this new financial inclusion index, the study concluded that Indias Southern states and union territories showed better financial inclusion. In contrast, the traditionally backward BIMARU states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, and a few of the North Eastern states of India, lagged. The study also provided a refined and inclusive definition of financial inclusion based on its new approach to index creation. 2023, Associated Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd.. All rights reserved. -
Measuring Indian Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) abundance at Basur Amruth Mahal Kaval Conservation Reserve, Chikkamagaluru, southern India
Grasslands are among the most critically endangered ecosystems in the tropics, but they are often treated as wastelands and conservation efforts are seldom directed towards these landscapes. The Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra is a large wild herbivore found in most grassland ecosystems across India. Despite their critical role in their trophic web, there are no reliable estimates of Blackbuck populations from their geographic range that takes detection probability into consideration. In this study, we conducted field surveys to estimate Blackbuck density in Basur Amruth Mahal Kaval Conservation (BAMKCR) with an area of 7.36km2 in southern India. We surveyed Blackbucks for a week in July 2014 along straight line transects between 09:00-12:00 hr and used the distance sampling approach to address the imperfect detection. A total of three transect lines of lengths 3.01km, 2.4km and 1.2km were sampled for seven temporal replicates. With an effort of 46.27km, 56 sightings of Blackbucks were recorded that was analyzed using the program DISTANCE. With a detection probability of 0.58 (0.053 SD) the estimated density of Blackbuck was 26.23 (6 SD) individuals/km2. The derived abundance estimate was 193 (c. 148-238) individuals in the study area. Our results show implications of a statistically robust design that accounts for imperfect detection. It provides an insight into a resident population of Blackbucks in a dynamic and fragile habitat. Blackbuck density estimate from this study sets the background for periodic monitoring of their populations, examination of the impacts of habitat modifications and gauge long-term viability of the grassland habitat in BAMKCR. Sagar & Antoney 2017. -
Measuring the Economic Burden of Health Conditions among White?Collar Employees: A Cross?Sectional Study from Delhi? NCR
Background: In the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in healthcare expenditure due to the prevalence of health issues across the globe. This is primarily seen among white-collar employees due to the sedentary nature of their jobs, which affects their current earnings (Purchasing Power) directly due to the reallocation of their real income towards healthcare expenditure (Economic Burden) and indirectly by impacting work productivity through sick leaves. Aim: To measure the economic burden of disease(s) among white-collar employees, and to study the same across different socio-demographic variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study has been conducted in the region of Delhi-NCR among 357 white-collar employees. A random sampling method was adopted using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire collected information regarding the direct and indirect costs of health conditions with a recall period of one month. The cumulative score of these monthly costs was converted to annual data to estimate the economic burden of the health conditions among the employees over a year. Results: As compared to Communicable diseases (16.24%), Non-communicable diseases (27.17%) were more prevalent among the respondents. Compared to other diseases, the employees suffering from Heart diseases (INR 7,62,237.50), Spinal health issues (INR 1,73,625.00), and Diabetes (INR 1,64,535.71) incurred more economic burden. At a 5% significance level, no significant difference was observed in economic burden for Gender and BMI. However, the economic burden was significantly different across the categories of Age and Monthly income. A positive association can be observed in economic burden with the increasing categories of age and monthly income. Conclusion: With the nature of sedentary work (desk jobs), white-collar employees are at a greater risk of exposure to various NCDs than CDs and incur a significant amount of out-of-pocket expenditure to manage their health status. 2023 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved. -
Mechanical and Dielectric Properties of InTe Crystals
Crystal Structure Theory and Applications, Vol-1, pp. 79-83. -
Mechanical and Wear Behavior of Aluminium Metal Matrix Composites Reinforced Ceramics Materials for Light Structures
Aluminium Alloy based Metal Matrix Composites (AAMMCs) has widely used in defense, aircraft and automobile applications because of their enhanced engineering properties with light weight metals. Nano sized silicon nitride (80 ?m) is used as a reinforcement in this study, whereas aluminium alloy 8011 is selected as the matrix material. Using the stir casting method, metal matrix composites made of aluminium alloy 8011 with varying weight percentages of Si3N4(0, 4, 8, 12, and 16) are created. The stir casted AL 8011/Si3N4composites further heated under T6 condition. The AL 8011/Si3N4 T6 composites are further subjected to Energy Dispersive X ray Analysis (EDAX) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to identify by the presence of elements and study the microstructure characterization, respectively. The density, microhardness and wear test are conducted by employing Archimedes principle, Vickers hardness tested and pin on disc equipment, respectively. The wear test is done at different sliding distances like (500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 m), applied load like (10, 20, 30 and 40 N) and kept sliding at a speed of 1 m/s. The increasing weight percentage of silicon nitride expands the increasing of density and Vickers hardness up to 12 wt % of silicon nitride and decreasing by 16 wt % addition. The wear resistances of AL 8011/12 wt % Si3N4T6 composite exhibits higher wear resistance than other Al8011 based composites. 2024, Informatics Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. -
Mechanical Properties and Analysis of Two-body Abrasive Wear Behaviour of Graphene Modified Carbon/Epoxy Composites Using Taguchis Technique
The present work emphasizes the effect of graphene nanoplatelets (G) filler loading on mechanical and abrasive wear behavior of carbon fibre reinforced epoxy (C/E) composites. Graphene nanoplatelets were mixed with epoxy framework using a temperature-controlled magnetic stirrer and then ultrasonically treated. The parameters considered for the abrasive wear study are the applied load in N (5, 10 and 15), abrading distance in m (75, 150, and 225) and weight percentage of reinforcement (0, 1, and 1.5). The incorporation of 1 wt. % G into C/E composites increases hardness by 14 % and interlaminar laminar strength by 19 % when compared to C/E composites. According to the Taguchi design of tests, a filler loading of 1 wt. % G, an abrading distance of 225 m, and an applied load of 15 N are ideal. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done to establish the dominant parameter, and the filler loading with abrading distance was shown to be significant. With 36.4 %, the filler loading had the biggest influence on the composite specific wear rate. The combination of filler loading with 1 wt. %, load of 15 N, and abrading distance of 225 m yields the lowest specific wear rate. The involved wear mechanisms during the abrasive wear process have also been explained with scanning electron micrographs. 2024 Published by Faculty of Engineering. -
Mechanical Strength and Microstructure of GGBS-SCBA based Geopolymer Concrete
This paper deals with the attempt to develop and study the performance of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) based sustainable geopolymer concrete. NaOH (8M, 10M, and 12M) and Na2SiO3 were used as alkaline activators with a ratio of 2.5. SCBA mainly acted as amorphous silica and has been utilized as a substitute material for GGBS. The effect of SCBA contents (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% & 20% by the mass of binder) in terms of fresh, hardened, microstructural, and correlation properties of geopolymer concrete developed have been evaluated. Different tests such as the slump cone test, compression test, split tensile test, flexure test, and ultrasonic pulse velocity test were conducted. Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive analysis, and X-ray diffraction analysis were investigated for understanding the microstructural properties. The research findings have shown that with an increase in molarity from 8M to 12M there is an increase in the strength properties of geopolymer concrete. The results in this current study show that 28 days compressive strength was found to increase by 415% when the NaOH molarity was increased from 8M to 10M and 821% when the NaOH molarity was increased from 8M to 12M. The geopolymer concrete developed with 20% SCBA and 80% GGBS with 8M NaOH solution and SS/SH ratio of 2.5 can be used for a target strength of 3035 MPa. Scanning electron microscope images show a packed and dense matrix, which clearly outlines the reason behind the attainment of higher strength in higher molarity of GGBS-SCBA based geopolymer concrete samples and the presence of CASH gel confirmed this in the geopolymer matrix. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between the experimental findings and the model equations proposed. These presented models will be useful in improving the strength of geopolymer concrete incorporating agricultural and industrial wastes. 2023 The Authors -
Mechanics of SH and anti-plane SH waves in orthotropic piezoelectric quasicrystal with multiple surface effect
Significant restrictions have been found in the selection of piezoelectric materials and the direction of wave propagation in earlier studies on surface acoustic wave sensors. The primary goal of the current work is to investigate how wave propagation direction influences the performance of SAW macro- and nano-sensors in an effort to remove such barriers in the technological revolution of SAW sensors. A proposed model is established to study Shear Horizontal (SH) and anti-plane SH wave propagation in piezoelectric materials with surface effects. The theoretical forms are constructed and used to present the wavenumber of surface waves in any direction of the piezoelectric medium, based on the Extended Stroh formalism. In addition, we take into account surface elasticity theory in order to obtain the phase velocity equation based on the wavenumber expression. The model incorporates surface elasticity, piezoelectricity, and permittivity to account for nanoscale surface phenomena. Two configurations are examined: an orthotropic piezoelectric material layer over an elastic framework and a piezoelectric material half-space with a nano substrate. Analytical expressions for frequency equations are derived for both symmetric and anti-symmetric waves. Numerical results highlight the critical thickness of the piezoelectric layer, where surface energy significantly influences dispersion properties. The effects of surface elasticity and density on wave velocity are analyzed, revealing a spring force-like influence on boundaries. The research investigates SH wave transmission in anisotropic, transversely isotropic piezoelectric nanostructures. The findings could aid in designing SAW devices and piezoelectric sensors, as well as producing more effective surface acoustic wave sensors, based on recent theoretical work summaries. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature 2024. -
Media Framing of Indian Green Fiscal Policy: A Survey of Environmental Policies Across Online News Portals
This research undertakes a framing analysis of news coverage from five leading Indian news portals, focusing on the environmental provisions of India's fiscal budgets for 2022-23 and 2023-24. These budgets marked a significant shift, being the first to prioritize "Energy Transition and Climate Action" and "Green Growth" as central themes. The analysis uncovers a spectrum of portrayals: from highlighting government initiatives and the potential economic windfalls of green policies to critical evaluations and concerns about their real-world implications. Specifically, the Times of India, with its 27 stories, leans heavily towards business and economic perspectives. The Hindu, through its five stories, both praises the government's green initiatives and critiques certain infrastructure projects. Hindustan Times offers a balanced view in its nine stories, juxtaposing government action plans against critiques of infrastructure spending. In contrast, The Scroll and The Wire, each with three stories, delve deeper, providing incisive, critical analyses of the government's environmental commitments. The study underscores that while independent news portals present nuanced insights, their narratives often stand in the shadow of mainstream portals that echo the government's perspective. Given the escalating global importance of environmental challenges, the findings strongly advocate for media outlets to establish dedicated environmental news sections. Such focused coverage could enhance public awareness and pressurize effective governmental action in the domain of green fiscal policies. 2023 by authors, all rights reserved. -
Media's influence on suicide: Building a safer online world for all
In 1999, World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a global campaign focused on suicide prevention. In collaboration with International Association for Suicide Prevention, WHO compiled recommendations and resources intended to educate various societal and groups with the potential to impact suicide prevention, and this included the media. In order to combat the alarmingly high incidence of suicides (Tandon and Nathani, 2018), it is imperative to institute guidelines outlining how the social media forums ought to disseminate altruistic, essential educational content while. This work is a step toward achieving the same by laying down guidelines that could potentially reduce the suicide rate. 2023 Elsevier B.V. -
Mediating Effect of Brand Relationship Quality on Relational Bonds and Online Grocery Retailer Loyalty
The current study aims to identify how brand relationship quality mediates the relationship between different online relational bonds, and attitudinal and behavioral loyalty. A total of 316 valid questionnaires from respondents aged 2035 were collected using quota sampling from five different clusters in Bangalore, India. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. This study finds that convenience bonds and structural bond have no impact on brand trust and attitudinal and behavioral loyalty. All five relational bonds namely, convenience, structural, financial, empathy, and social bonds are seen to influence their sense of community and attitudinal attachment. Sense of community is the primary influencer of brand loyalty. This study reveals that brand dimensions of brand quality relationship mediate the effect of financial, empathy, and social bonds on attitudinal and behavioral loyalty. It also illustrates the role of different relational bonds as a stimulus, and relationship quality dimensions as an organism that lead to improved customer loyalty in online grocery retailing. Managers of online grocery stores can consider these new relational bonds, along with the traditional bonds, to develop positive emotions and achieve competitive advantage. 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.