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Mental health through forgiveness: Exploring the roots and benefits
Forgiveness is conceptualized as the process of making peace with life. The three sources of forgiveness, another person, oneself, and a situation or circumstance are capable of freeing a person from a negative association to the source that has transgressed against a person. Research studies show the mental health benefits associated with forgiveness. The present study explores the experiences of adults who practice forgiveness, specifically, the indicators of forgiveness, the childhood antecedents, and the benefits of forgiving behavior. The study uses a qualitative research approach following a phenomenological framework. A total of 12 adults, ranging from 25 to 40 years of age, who received a high score on Heartland Forgiveness Scale were included in the study. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews, their personal experiences were explored. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The themes emerged show that the childhood antecedents of forgiveness are parental influences and early childhood experiences. The indicators of forgiving behavior include positive emotional state, empathy and perspective taking, and religiosity. The themes identified are enhanced sense of well-being, improved self-acceptance, and competence to deal with challenges. Forgiveness enhanced physical and psychological well-being. The findings of the study have several implications for religious leaders, teachers, parents, mental health professionals, and trainers. 2016 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license. -
Mentha spicata assisted AgCuO nanocomposite enables anti-diabetic and vitamin-C sensing activities
Diabetes mellitus (DM), a multifactorial chronic health condition, affects a sizable portion of the global population, and more people are expected to contract it in the future, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Diabetes mellitus can be treated with conventional drugs, but most of the medications have a variety of side effects. The use of nanocomposites (NCs) to treat diabetes has been prioritized in this scenario. In this study, AgCuO NCs were synthesized using a green method using Mentha spicata leaf extract and their physicochemical properties were investigated with a variety of analytical techniques. According to an extensive in vivo and in vitro analysis of the biological activities of as-synthesized AgCuO NCs, AgCuO NCs possess effective antibacterial, anti-diabetic, and anti-hyperlipidemic characteristics. When AgCuO NCs are administered to STZ-induced animals in a concentration-based manner, the blood levels of inflammatory and liver marker enzymes are reduced and antioxidant enzyme levels are increased. Besides, AgCuO NCs exhibit excellent sensing activity with a limit of detection of 86 nM against Vitamin-C. This study reveals that AgCuO NCs derived from Mentha spicata may, therefore, prove to be a very successful anti-diabetic and biosensor candidate in the future. 2024 Elsevier B.V. -
Mentors perceived interest, motivation, and volunteering intention at DREAMS after school intervention programme
DREAMS stands for Desire, Readiness, Empowerment, Action, and Mastery for Success. Dreams afterschool intervention programme (ASIP) is to empower children who are weak in psychosocial skills to realize their full potential and to plan for a successful life with the help of college student mentors and senior community mentors. The present study explored the college student mentors interest and motivation to serve at DREAMS and the volunteering intention to stay or discontinue as mentors. The study bases its investigation purely on the mentors revelation of their experiences of DREAMS ASIP. Study followed phenomenological inquiry method and conducted semi-structured interview with 10 college-student mentors, which included 6 active mentors and 4 dropouts. A face-to-face interview conducted by the researchers recorded all the unique points diligently and conducted the data analysis using thematic analysis. Study found 3 main themes and 12 subordinate themes out of thematic analysis. The master themes are mentors interest, mentors motivation, and mentors volunteering experiences. The results section of the article presents the details of themes and sub-themes along with few excerpts of interviewees. Implications of the study might help other ASPs to understand the nature of their volunteers interest and motivation. Future researchers may study factors affecting the mentors strengths and weaknesses within the organisation. 2023 RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR ALL. -
Mesoporous onion-like carbon nanostructures from natural oil for high-performance supercapacitor and electrochemical sensing applications: Insights into the post-synthesis sonochemical treatment on the electrochemical performance
Although onion-like carbon nanostructures (OLCs) are attractive materials for energy storage, their commercialization is hampered by the absence of a simple, cost-effective, large-scale synthesis route and binder-free electrode processing. The present study employs a scalable and straightforward technique to fabricate sonochemically tailored OLCs-based high-performance supercapacitor electrode material. An enhanced supercapacitive performance was demonstrated by the OLCs when sonicated in DMF at 60 C for 15 min, with a specific capacitance of 647 F/g, capacitance retention of 97% for 5000 cycles, and a charge transfer resistance of 3 ?. Furthermore, the OLCs were employed in the electrochemical quantification of methylene blue, a potential COVID-19 drug. The sensor demonstrated excellent analytical characteristics, including a linear range of 100 pM to 1000 pM, an ultralow sensitivity of 64.23 pM, and a high selectivity. When used to identify and quantify methylene blue in its pharmaceutical formulation, the sensor demonstrated excellent reproducibility, high stability, and satisfactory recovery. 2021 The Author(s) -
Message framing and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among millennials in South India
Vaccine hesitancy and refusal remain a major concern for healthcare professionals and policymakers. Hence, it is necessary to ascertain the underlying factors that promote or hinder the uptake of vaccines. Authorities and policy makers are experimenting with vaccine promotion messages to communities using loss and gain-framed messages. However, the effectiveness of message framing in influencing the intention to be vaccinated is unclear. Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this study analysed the impact of individual attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination, direct and indirect social norms, perceived behavioural control and perceived threat towards South Indian millennials intention to get vaccinated. The study also assessed the effect of framing vaccine communication messages with gain and loss framing. Data was collected from 228 Millennials from South India during the COVID-19 pandemic from September to October 2021 and analysed using PLS path modelling and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA). The findings reveal that attitudes towards vaccination, perceived threat and indirect social norms positively impact millennials intention to take up vaccines in both message frames. Further, independent sample t-test between the framing groups indicate that negative (loss framed message) leads to higher vaccination intention compared to positive (gain framed message). A loss-framed message is thus recommended for message framing to promote vaccine uptake among millennials. These findings provide useful information in understanding the impact of message framing on behavioural intentions, especially in the context of vaccine uptake intentions of Millennials in South India. Copyright: 2022 Prakash et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. -
Meta-analysis of EMF-induced pollution by COVID-19 in virtual teaching and learning with an artificial intelligence perspective
Concerns about the health effects of frequent exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted from mobile towers and handsets have been raised because of the gradual increase in usage of cell phones and frequent setting up of mobile towers. The present study is targeted to detrimental effects of EMF radiation on various biological systems mainly due to online teaching and learning processes by suppressing the immune system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased usage of internet due to online education and online office leads to more detrimental effects of EMF radiation. Further inculcation of soft computing techniques in EMF radiation has been presented. A literature review focusing on the usage of soft computing techniques in the domain of EMF radiation has been presented in the article. An online survey has been conducted targeting Indian academic stakeholders (specially teachers, students, and parents termed as population in the paper) for analyzing the awareness towards the biohazards of EMF exposure. 2022 IGI Global. All rights reserved. -
Metaheuristic Machine Learning Algorithms for Liver Disease Prediction
In machine learning, optimizing solutions is critical for improving performance. This study explores the use of metaheuristic algorithms to enhance key processes such as hyperparameter tuning, feature selection, and model optimization. Specifically, we integrate the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm with Random Forest and Decision Tree models to improve the accuracy and efficiency of disease prediction. Machine learning has the potential to uncover complex patterns in medical data, offering transformative capabilities in disease diagnosis. However, selecting the optimal algorithm for model optimization presents a significant challenge. In this work, we employ Random Forest, Decision Tree models, and the ABC algorithmbased on the foraging behaviours of honeybeesto predict liver disease using a dataset from Indian medical records. Our experiments demonstrate that the Random Forest model achieves an accuracy of 85.12%, the Decision Tree model 76.89%, and the ABC algorithm 80.45%. These findings underscore the promise of metaheuristic approaches in machine learning, with the ABC algorithm proving to be a valuable tool in improving predictive accuracy. In conclusion, the integration of machine learning models with metaheuristic techniques, such as the ABC algorithm, represents a significant advancement in disease prediction, driving progress in data-driven healthcare. 2024, Iquz Galaxy Publisher. All rights reserved. -
Metal and Ligand-Free Approach Towards the Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of Dipyridopyrimidinimine Derivatives
We report a facile, expeditious, user-friendly, and convenient metal-free synthesis employing base catalysis in a one-pot procedure to construct 11H-dipyrido[1,2-a : 3?,2?-d]pyrimidin-11-imine derivatives. This protocol involves a domino process leading to the formation of double C?N bonds utilising KOtBu as the base and DMAc as the superior solvent at 25 C for 2 h. The versatility of this methodology was demonstrated by its successful application to substrates with both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating functional groups, yielding novel functionalized stable 11H-dipyrido[1,2-a : 3?,2?-d]pyrimidin-11-imine derivatives in good to excellent yields. Additionally, we have discussed a plausible reaction pathway for the synthesis. 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH. -
Metal organic frameworks in biomedicine: Innovations in drug delivery
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a class of versatile materials, finding extensive applications in drug delivery because of their unique properties and flexible design. This comprehensive review aims to give a broad perspective on the recent advancements in the area of drug delivery applications using MOFs. The fundamental characteristics of MOFs, highlighting their exceptional porosity, high surface area, and tuneable framework structures, enable MOFs to serve as ideal drug carriers, allowing efficient drug loading and controlled release. The review delves into the various ligands and metal ions employed for drug encapsulation. These include physical encapsulation, covalent bonding, and host-guest interactions, each offering distinct advantages for diverse types of drugs and therapeutic applications. The importance of tailoring MOF properties to optimize drug loading capacity, stability, and release kinetics has been emphasized. Additionally, the explorations involve delving into the mechanisms of drug release from MOFs, with factors such as pH, temperature, and external stimuli that can be harnessed to trigger controlled drug release. The utilization of MOFs in combination therapies, such as co-delivery of multiple drugs or integrating imaging agents, has also been examined. Numerous examples of MOFs used for drug delivery, encompassing both in-vitro and in-vivo studies, covering a wide range of therapeutic areas, including cancer treatment, antimicrobial therapy, and targeted drug delivery, are included. Additionally, the review addresses the challenges and future perspectives in the development of MOFs for drug delivery. Strategies to improve MOF stability, biocompatibility, and scalability are discussed, along with the understanding of MOF-drug interaction and potential toxicity concerns. With their tuneable properties, high loading capacities, and controlled release capabilities, MOFs hold exceptional capabilities that promise to enhance the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Continued research and development in this area can pave way for the translation of MOFs into clinical applications in the near future. 2024 The Author(s) -
Metallic silver and copper oxide nanoparticles: Uses in food preservation and impacts on the environment
This review examines the applications of metallic silver and copper oxide nanoparticles in food preservation, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize food packaging and reduce environmental pollution through enhanced waste management strategies. Synthesis of these nanoparticles via green methods including bacteria-, fungi-, and plant-mediated approaches have been discussed. The antimicrobial properties and toxicity of silver and copper oxide nanoparticles have been evaluated highlighting their efficiency in inhibiting microbial growth and extending the shelf life of food products. Regulatory policies governing the use of these nanoparticles in food packaging have been analyzed along with the exploration of active packaging technologies that leverage their unique properties. By integrating advances in nanotechnology with better food formulations, this review underscores the transformative impact of silver and copper oxide nanoparticles on food safety and environmental sustainability, offering insights into the future directions for research and newer applications. 2024 -
Metalsemiconductormetal visible photodetector based on Al-doped (Cd:Zn)S nano thin films by hydrothermal synthesis
High quality undoped and Al-doped nanocrystalline (Cd:Zn)S films [CZS and ACZS] were deposited on glass substrates by hydrothermal assisted chemical bath deposition. The Al concentration was varied from 0.5 mol.% to 2 mol.% in steps of 0.5 mol.% replacing cadmium while keeping other deposition parameters constant. XRD, SEM, and EDX were used to observe crystallinity, morphology and composition of the as prepared samples. X-ray diffraction revealed the hexagonal phase of CZS films with prominent orientation along the (002) plane. XPS analysis was used to confirm the doping concentration of Al in to CZS lattice. Repeatable photoresponse was recorded under 100 s cycle light-on and light-off conditions. 1 mol.% Al doped film being optimised as good photoconductor; a photodetector was fabricated with Ag/ACZS/Ag device structure. The ACZS photodetector exhibits similar time response, good photocurrent reproducibility and a sharp photoresponse at blue radiation with high photo-dark current ratio of 95. The device exhibits peak responsivity of 3.48 mA W?1 and detectivity of 1.26 1011 Jones at 470 nm. These properties suggest that the ACZS photodetector holds great potential for application in high-performance visible photodetectors, especially in the blue region. 2021 Elsevier GmbH -
Method of preparing a document for survey instrument validation by experts
Validation of a survey instrument is an important activity in the research process. Face validity and content validity, though being qualitative methods, are essential steps in validating how far the survey instrument can measure what it is intended for. These techniques are used in both scale development processes and a questionnaire that may contain multiple scales. In the face and content validation, a survey instrument is usually validated by experts from academics and practitioners from field or industry. Researchers face challenges in conducting a proper validation because of the lack of an appropriate method for communicating the requirement and receiving the feedback. In this Paper, the authors develop a template that could be used for the validation of survey instrument. In instrument development process, after the item pool is generated, the template is completed and sent to the reviewer. The reviewer will be able to give the necessary feedback through the template that will be helpful to the researcher in improving the instrument. 2021 The Author(s) -
Methodical investigation of filtering algorithms for human brain MRI
Retrieving useful information from the given data through a systematic and organized way can help to learn more about the data in a much better and clear way. Information is hidden in medical images. The medical images like Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), ultrasound, X-ray are suggested by the physicians depending upon the available symptoms of the disease. These medical images contain valuable information about a particular disease in hidden format. Identification of that potentially useful information is crucial in further treatments of a particular disease. In image mining the images are processed and extraction or mining of knowledge is done, to get original, valid, potentially useful, and understandable patterns from the available images. The obtained patterns are a good source for further research work. This research work uses brain Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) of human beings. Different image filtering algorithms were used to retrieve noise free images. International Science Press. -
MHD flow and nonlinear thermal radiative heat transfer of dusty prandtl fluid over a stretching sheet
Boundary layer flows and melting heat transfer of a Prandtl fluid over a stretching surface in the presence of fluid particle suspensions has been investigated. The converted set of boundary layer equations are solved numerically by RKF-45 method. Obtained numerical results for flow and heat transfer characteristics are deliberated for various physical parameters. Furthermore, the skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number are also presented in Tabs. 2 and 3. It is found that the heat transfer rates are advanced in occurrence of nonlinear radiation compered to linear radiation. Also, it is noticed that velocity and temperature profile increases by increasing Prandtl parameter. 2020 Tech Science Press. -
MHD flow of SWCNT and MWCNT nanoliquids past a rotating stretchable disk with thermal and exponential space dependent heat source
The main purpose of this investigation is to analyze the impacts of a novel exponential space dependent heat source on MHD slip flow of carbon nanoliquids past a stretchable rotating disk. The flow is created due to rotation and stretching of the disk. Aspects of the convective condition and cross-diffusion (Soret and Dufour effects) are also accounted. A comparative study of nanofluids made up of SWCNTs (single-walled carbon nanotube) and MWCNTs (multi-walled carbon nanotube) is presented. The governing partial differential equations system is reduced to nonlinear ordinary boundary value problem. The RungeKuttaFehlberg is utilized for numerical simulations. Embedded dimensionless parameters on the flow fields are examined via graphical illustrations. The rate of heat mass transfer can be controlled by cross-diffusion, exponential space-based heat source and thermal-based heat source effects. It is also proved that q( ) (? ) x q x SWCNT nanoliquid MWCNT nanoliquid -. A novel idea of the exponential space dependent heat source is implemented in the investigation of the slip flow over a rotating deformable disk under the effects of cross-diffusion, temperature based heat source and magnetic field for the first time. A comparison between two different fluids namely SWCNT-H2O nanoliquid and MWCNT-H2O nanoliquid are studied. 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK. -
MHD nanofluid flow past a rotating disk with thermal radiation in the presence of aluminum and titanium alloy nanoparticles
The effects of thermal and exponential space dependent heat sources (THS and ESHS) on magneto-nanoliquid flow across a rotating disk with uniform stretching rate along radial direction are scrutinized in this communication. H2O based nanoliquids containing aluminium (AA 7075) and titanium (Ti6Al4V) alloy nanoparticles are considered. The AA7075 is made up of 90% Al, 5-6% Zn, 2-3% Mg, 1-2% Cu with additives such as Fe, Mn and Si etc. The flow is driven due to rotating disk with uniform stretching of the disk. Impacts of Joule and viscous heating are also deployed. The multidegree ordinary differential equations are formed via Von Karman transformations. The obtained non-linear BVP is solved by Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg based shooting approach (RKFS). Graphical illustrations depict the impacts of influential parameters on flow fields. The skin friction and Nusselt number are also calculated. Results pointed out that the thermal boundary layer growth stabilizes due to the influence of ESHS aspect. Velocities of AA7075 H2O nanofluid are superior than that of Ti6 Al4V H2O nanoliquid. Furthermore, the thermal performance of base liquid is outstanding when we added titanium alloy nanoparticles in comparison with aluminium alloy nanoparticles. 2018 Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland. -
MHD nanofluid flow through Darcy medium with thermal radiation and heat source
In this analysis, we have considered heat transmission in two-dimensional steady laminar nanouid ow past a wedge. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD), Brownian motion, viscous dissipation and thermophoresis eects are considered over the porous surface. Similarity transformations have been used to change the governing partial dierential equations (PDEs) into nonlinear higher-order ordinary dierential equations (ODEs). Governing ODEs with boundary conditions are then converted to the system of first-order initial value problem. After that the modeled system is solved numerically by RK4 technique. Impact of the magnetic number, Eckert number, Prandtl number, Lewis number, Brownian motion, thermophoresis and permeability parameters on the ow domain is analyzed graphically as well as in tabular form. It is noted that magnitude of Nusselt number for the ow regime increases with the increase of nondimensional parameter Pr; Nb; Nt while opposite behavior is observed in case of R. World Scientific Publishing Company. -
Micro and nano Bi2O3 filled epoxy composites: Thermal, mechanical and ?-ray attenuation properties
Polymer composites have attracted considerable attention as potential light-weight and cost-effective materials for radiation shielding and protection. In view of this, the present work focusses on development of lead-free composites of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin with micro (~ 10 ?m) and nano (~ 20 nm) bismuth (III) oxide (Bi2O3) fillers, using solution casting technique. Thermal, mechanical and ?-ray attenuation properties of the composites were studied by varying the filler loading. Inclusion of the fillers into epoxy matrix was confirmed both structurally and morphologically by XRD and SEM, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the thermal stability of composites to be as high as 400 C. The nanocomposites exhibited relatively higher thermal stability than their micro counterparts. Among the composites, 14 wt% nano-Bi2O3/epoxy composites showed highest tensile strength of 326 MPa, which is about 38% higher than 30 wt% micro Bi2O3/epoxy composites. Mass attenuation coefficients (?/?) of the composites were evaluated at ?-ray energies ranging from 0.356 to 1.332 MeV. Nanocomposites showed better ?-ray shielding at all energies (0.356, 0.511, 0.662, 1.173, 1.280 and 1.332 MeV) than micro composites with same filler loading. These studies revealed the significance of nano-sized fillers in enhancing overall performance of the composites. 2021 Elsevier Ltd -
Micro Borrowing an Amalgam of Structure and Strategy: Evidence from India
Micro borrowing was either an outcome of structure in the credit environment (termed the outreach stream), or a strategic response of the borrowers (termed the sustainability stream). Furthermore, borrower personal effects drove borrowing behaviour. This study draws variables from both the streams of literature and tests them against the amount borrowed and purposes loans are borrowed for. Results show how borrowing behaviour is neither an outcome of pure structure nor pure strategy, but rather, is an interplay of both, and further influenced by personal effects. The survey data (consisting of 839 rural borrower responses, from four districts of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh in South India) was subjected to a rigorous statistical analysis. Results show how a larger number of banks in the villages (a structural constraint), enabled the borrowers to receive larger loans, who defaulted more (a strategic response). Men borrowed larger sums (a personal effect). A similar amalgam of structure, strategy and personal effects drive borrowing behaviour even after controlling for loan purpose and district fixed effects. Yet, when district effects are introduced, amount borrowed is agnostic to personal effects, and is driven purely by structure and strategy. JEL Classifications: C25, C83, G51, Z13 2022 SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd.