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Assessing Housing Preferences and Living Conditions of Migrant Workers in the Fringe Areas of Bengaluru City, India
This study investigates the housing preferences and its impact on living conditions of migrant industrial workers in the fringe areas of Bengaluru, India, where rapid urbanization and economic expansion have led to a significant demand for affordable housing. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision-making framework, this study analyzed key factors influencing housing choices, such as proximity to the workplace, affordability, and access to essential amenities. Data were collected from 400 respondents through a combination of surveys, complimented by field observations and expert consultations. The findings indicate a strong preference for affordable housing close to employment hubs, with proximity to workplace emerging as the most critical criterion with a priority weight of 43.36%, followed by affordability with a priority weight of 12.47%. However, field insights reveal a trade-off with housing quality and living conditions. Many migrant workers are confined to overcrowded and poorly ventilated rental units, often provided by employers, which compromises their health and well-being. Our results contribute to the understanding of urban housing challenges in rapidly growing economies and emphasize the importance of sustainable, health-oriented housing policies that can mitigate environmental impacts and improve the quality of life for low-income migrant populations. 2024 by the authors. -
Assessing Land Use Transformation in Kanhangad Town: A Special Emphasis on Wetland Ecosystems
Kerala, renowned for its lush landscapes, is facing environmental challenges due to rapid urbanization, particularly in Kanhangad. This area, notable for its unique wetland ecosystem crucial for biodiversity and human livelihoods, is experiencing a conflict between residential development and wetland conservation. A comprehensive study in Kanhangad, employing diverse data sources such as open-source data, Google Earth Satellite Imagery, OpenStreetMap, and tools like ArcGIS, provides a detailed analysis of land use and its environmental impacts. The study combines digital data analysis with physical surveys to understand the ecological and developmental status comprehensively. The study reveals a dominant trend in Kanhangad's land use, with residential areas comprising 52% of the total land, mostly large, detached single-family homes. This reflects a societal shift towards viewing homes as status symbols, contributing to natural resource depletion. The research underscores the need for sustainable, low-cost housing, suggesting vertical housing as a potential solution to balance residential demands with environmental conservation. Kanhangad's wetlands, essential for local biodiversity and livelihoods, face threats from urban development and infrastructural expansion. The study shows a drastic reduction in wetland area, from 12.9 km in 2004-05 to just 1.66 km by 2020-21, indicating severe ecological degradation. Despite the Kerala Conservation of Paddy land and Wetland Act of 2008, which aims to protect these ecosystems, its limited effectiveness is evident from the ongoing depletion of wetlands. This situation calls for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations and greater public involvement in conservation efforts. Furthermore, the research examines the Kerala Paddy and Wetland Conservation Act-2008, analysing its role and effectiveness in local environmental governance. The Act, focusing on prohibiting wetland and paddy land conversion, is vital for regional conservation. However, gaps in its implementation are highlighted, especially considering the exacerbation of the 2018 and 2019 Kerala floods due to land conversion practices. The study emphasizes the urgent need for more robust environmental protection measures. 2024 by authors. All rights reserved. -
Assessing oral acute toxicity and histopathological effects of Strelitzia reginae Aiton leaf extracts in Zebrafish (Danio rerio Hamilton)
Strelitzia reginae, commonly known as the Bird of Paradise, is a decorative shrub endemic to southern Africa. This study marks the first comprehensive investigation into the safety of S. reginae leaf extract through oral acute toxicity assessments and histopathological examinations in Zebrafish (Danio rerio). The interest in this research arises from the historical use of S. reginae components by various indigenous South African societies to treat conditions like swollen glands and sexual problems. GC-MS analysis was used along with traditional methods to look at the phytochemical parts of S. reginae. The results showed the presence of several substances, such as eicosane, hexacosane, 1-octadecene, and neophytadiene. Notably, the analysis also identified certain chemicals with potential cytotoxic properties, such as octacosane and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Drawing upon the biological similarities between Zebrafish and humans, who share a majority of their genes, this study represents the first attempt to evaluate the toxicity and histopathology of S. reginae using D. rerio as the test model, aligning with the OECD recommendations outlined in Article 203. The oral acute toxicity tests were done using ethanolic leaf powdered extracts of S. reginae. Higher concentrations (1200 mg/L) were toxic, but lower doses were less harmful to D. rerio. As observed in the histopathology examination, exposure to higher concentrations of S. reginae extract induced severe histological abnormalities in the Zebrafish's gills, liver, kidneys, intestines, and brain. This work contributes greatly to our understanding of S. reginae's safety profile and its potential therapeutic applications for enhancing well-being. 2024 Horizon e-Publishing Group. All rights reserved. -
Assessing perceptions of COVID-19 self-protective measures: a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach
Purpose: This study aimed to develop scales to assess perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) self-protective measures (SPMs) and examine the psychometric properties based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Design/methodology/approach: A total of 412 participants from Bangalore, India, randomly volunteered to participate in this research. The questionnaire consisted of items related to the TPB scales and demographic details. Findings: A structural equation model showed a reasonable model fit. In total, 70% of the individuals' behavioral intentions of following COVID-19 SPMs were predicted by perceived benefits, barriers, social norms and social influence. Participants' age impacted on perceived benefits and perceived social influence and individuals' behavioral intentions of following COVID-19 SPMs, with a 13.6% difference in model prediction. Originality/value: The TPB can be used as a strong psychometric property to assess behavioral determinants of COVID-19 SPMs. 2021, Sangeeta Mehrolia, Subburaj Alagarsamy and Jeevananda S. -
Assessing performance of alkali-activated bricks incorporated with processed surgical masks
Since last few years the world is facing tremendous surge in the use of surgical masks due to the COVID19 pandemic. The uncontrolled disposal of surgical masks in the environment will pose serious threat to the living organisms due to plastic pollution. On the other hand, the construction industry is hugely dependent on natural resources, leading to increase in carbon footprint. Therefore, it necessary to investigate novel construction materials with sustainability perspective. In present study, alkali-activated bricks were synthesized with rice husk ash (RHA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), sand, and sodium silicate (SS). To this, processed surgical masks (PSM) were added in varying doses of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% by volume of the mix. The results revealed that addition of PSM significantly improved the strength properties of the bricks with a maximum compressive strength of 6.85 MPa at inclusion of 4% PSM. At the same time, it has reduced the density of bricks with a minimum value of 1.54 g/cm3 at inclusion of 4% PSM. The incorporation of PSM has slightly increased the water absorption and porosity of the bricks, with a maximum increase of 4.76% and 7.75% for bricks with 4% PSM, when compared to bricks with 0% PSM, respectively. The accelerated ageing test showed that after three cycles of wetting and drying the bricks exhibited loss in compressive strength in the range of 55.2%58.6%. The microstructure results revealed the bridging effect of fibrous mask particles in improving the load transfer in polymer matrix, and thereby reducing the brittle tensile failure in bricks. The pushover analysis showed the benefit of PSM in improving the performance of the infill walls due to improvement in brick strength and reduction in its self-weight, and therefore, it can be considered as a potential material for use in construction of buildings in seismically vulnerable areas. 2023 The Author(s) -
Assessing Role of Banking Sector in Financial Inclusion Process in India
Vels Management Journal, Vol-1 (2), pp. 54-71. -
Assessing stimulusorganism responses in impulse buying among young consumers on online platforms using a hybrid BWM-ISM approach
With the advent of online buying habits, this study employs three stages (identify, rank, and decode relationships) approach to investigate the enablers of online impulse buying behavior (OIBB) among young consumers. First, literature review in the backdrop of stimulusorganismresponse (SOR) framework was used to identify and experts opinions were used to validate 21 enablers of OIBB. Next, hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approaches, namely the bestworst method (BWM) was used to assign weights and rank; and interpretive structural modeling (ISM) to decide mutual relationship among the top ranked enablers. Results indicate that promotion, product variety, and product quality are the top ranked enablers of OIBB among young consumers. The study develops a hierarchical model to simplify complex relationships among key enablers, clarifying impulse buying through the first-time use of the BWM-ISM approach in OIBB research. This enables marketers and e-commerce sellers to better prioritize critical enablers of OIBB. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2024. -
Assessing the Determinants of Metaverse Adoption for E-Commerce Retailing
The advent of metaverse technology has impacted the retail sector, shaping e-commerce platforms into a new form of metaverse-based online shopping environments. The metaverse e-commerce experience is new to shoppers, making it crucial to comprehend consumer reactions to this technology in the context of retail. This study explores the shopping intention and potential use of the metaverse for shopping using the UTAUT2 model and metaverse-based context-specific antecedents. Using a structured questionnaire, data from 1340 consumers were collected and analyzed through PLS-SEM. The findings indicated that factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, and facilitating conditions influence shopping intention in the e-commerce metaverse. The metaverse-related antecedents, namely, a sense of immersion and imagination, have a positive influence, whereas technological anxiety and perceived security and privacy concerns have a negative impact on e-commerce shopping intention in the metaverse. It was also found that shopping intention influences the potential use of metaverse for shopping and that stickiness to traditional shopping negatively moderates this relationship. This unique research explores consumer buying behavior in the metaverse. It provides marketers, e-commerce managers, designers, and developers of metaverse platforms with the antecedents of the potential use of the metaverse for shopping insights. Consumer policymakers can also draw insights from this study. 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. -
Assessing the Effectiveness of Implied Volatility in Predicting Realised Return Volatility for Informative Decision-Making: Insights from the Nifty Bank Index
Implied volatility (IV) is crucial in option pricing models and serves as an essential tool for volatility traders to make informed decisions. However, its effectiveness in predicting realized return volatility is still debated. This study investigates the efficiency of implied volatility in forecasting realized return volatility in the Indian financial markets, specifically using Bank Nifty index options and also assesses the predictive capability of implied volatility against the realised volatility estimator. Utilizing data spanning five years, from January 2018 to December 2022. Finding of this study reveal that implied volatility significantly forecasts realized volatility, highlighting its efficacy as a forecasting tool. Moreover, historical volatility fails to enhance predictive power when combined with implied volatility. Nonetheless, caution should be exercised in generalizing these results to other markets or time periods, as further research is warranted. The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on implied volatility efficiency, offering practical insights for options traders and adding to the body of knowledge in financial economics. 2024, Iquz Galaxy Publisher. All rights reserved. -
Assessing the loyalty of shoppers of attire multi - brand outlets : A research study /
Indian Journal Of Marketing, Vol.47, Issue 9, ISSN: 9738703. -
Assessing the loyalty of shoppers of attire multi - Brand outlets: A research study
This study aimed to ascertain whether the loyal shoppers referred their loved ones, friends, relatives, peer groups, well wishers, etc. to their preferred MBOs for fulfilling their shopping requirements. The study was conducted with 400 respondents at Coimbatore city, India. The research is a descriptive one. The data was collected using the mall intercept survey method. The data was analyzed using frequency distribution, cross tabulation, reliability and validity test, chi-square test, correlation, and t - test. Majority of the respondents sustained with the same MBOs due to various reasons like wider designs, collections, and product quality. The study revealed that the shoppers of MBOs were loyal towards their stores because 38% of the respondents referred five to ten people and 38.5% brought two to four new customers to shop from their preferred MBOs. The above facts like customer referrals and frequent purchases were the components chosen for this study, which proved the loyalty of shoppers towards the multi-brand outlets. -
Assessing the role of materialism and gratitude in life satisfaction through IPMA: the mediating role of meaningfulness in life
Purpose: This study aims to create a more humane and responsible workplace, individuals gratitude and meaningfulness seem of utmost importance. This study is an effort to understand the role of gratitude intent of potential managers. Design/methodology/approach: This study examines the psychological characteristic of business students in India. The researchers surveyed 333 Indian students as future managers. The collected data has been analysed with the Smart PLS 3 version to assess the formative-reflective scale by comparing model fit, measurement model and structural modelling. Findings: The results establish that gratitude significantly affects the life satisfaction of future managers. Findings also show that materialism is negatively related to life satisfaction and meaningfulness. The importanceperformance map analysis finding suggests that meaningfulness in life is a potential indicator of life satisfaction for the population studied. Originality/value: Due to the limited research available on the psychological underpinnings in the Indian context, there is a massive value in examining how materialism and gratitude concurrently and distinctively predict meaning in life and the life satisfaction of future managers. This paper gives a formative explanation of the model consisted gratitude, materialism and meaningfulness in life on the life satisfaction of future managers. This study establishes the importance of meaningfulness of life in attaining life satisfaction for young managers. 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited. -
Assessing the Skill Sets from the NEP Policy 2020: Scale Development and Validation
Purpose: The central aspect of this paper is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, an education-based policy in the Indian context. The article captured the opportunities from the perspective of the skill set it offers to its important stakeholders, students; the current research has aimed to propose and validate an instrument to measure the skill set identified from the NEP document and academic expertise, which could be used to measure students skill-based performance. Design/Methodology/Approach: The first section used EFA to establish four skill sets: Employability Skills, Communal-Based Skills, Social and Emotional Skills, and Individualistic Skills. The CFA model was further deployed to confirm the factors; the study was administered to a sample of 820 students from various commerce and management colleges from South and North Bangalore. Findings: The research results could be applied to evaluate the effectiveness of skill sets on students performance to create holistic education. Originality: The first step is to develop and validate scales for measuring skill sets under NEP 2020. Second, in accordance with the pupils order of priority, to close the gap between the talents stated and those observed. Research Limitations/Implications: The study was conducted only with students of commerce and management disciplines in Bangalore. Practical Implications: NEP has placed a greater emphasis on competency development and skill enhancement, which aids in the development of higher-order cognitive, social-emotional, and 21st-century abilities necessary for employment in the future. NEP gave greater autonomy to students to choose their learning pathway and develop skill sets, which are likely to make them job creators, thereby giving rise to the entrepreneurial culture. Social Implications: To cultivate an aspirational student body, it is critical to instill the necessary skill sets in pupils. Policymakers and decision-makers could then organize their courses using these skill sets. 2024, Associated Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd.. All rights reserved. -
Assessing transmission excellence and flow detection based on Machine Learning
Excellence in transmission can be assessed in optical transport networks before providing any additional connections or upgrading the connections. Generally, the Physical Layer Model (PLM) is used to assess the transmission quality which has high probability in uncertainty and inaccuracy due to the circumstances of physical layer. The network efficiency is directly proportional to the margins. If the margins getting increases in the PLM, the efficiency of the network decreases. Maintaining the excellence in transmission is the biggest challenge when the margins getting increased. Other significant factors for excellence in transmission is scalable, minimum latency with maximum speed and energy efficient. Photonic switching is a hopeful solution for handling these challenges. Machine learning technique is proposed to assess the excellence of transmission and flow detection. ML-E and Precedence based scheduling algorithms are proposed for excellence of transmission and flow detection respectively. The proposed techniques justify variations, uncertainties in kits like fiber dilution, dispersion and optimizes PSON (packet switched optical network). Simulation results are demonstrated and the proposed work results indicates that it can outperform a benchmark in all aspects. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. -
Assessment of artificial intelligence-based digital learning systems in higher education amid the pandemic using analytic hierarchy
The devastating effects of the 2020 worldwide COVID-19 virus epidemic prompted widespread lockdowns and restrictions, which will continue to be felt for decades. The repercussions of the pandemic have been most noticeable among educators and their students, which boosts the effectiveness of various AI-based learning systems in the education system. This study examines the AI-based digital learning platforms in higher education institutions based on various characteristics and uses of these systems. Several significant aspects of AI-based digital learning systems were obtained from the available literature, and significant articles were selected to properly examine various characteristics and functions of AI-based digital learning platforms used by multiple higher education institutions. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is employed to rank multiple AI-based learning systems based on key factors and their sub-factors. The studys outcome revealed which AI systems are effectively used in developing digital learning systems by various higher education institutions. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Society for Reliability Engineering, Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM), India and The Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden 2024. -
Assessment of Attitude and Knowledge of Law Students towards Tele-evidence Facility for Doctors
A doctor's role not only includes patient care but also to provide evidence in the court as and when called upon to do so. Evidence giving in the court leads to an additional burden on the doctor with regards to the time and money spent on travelling, cancellation of the hearing after reaching the court, etc. An alternative for all these problems can be tele-evidence. This study aims to know the attitude and perception of final year undergraduate law students towards tele-evidence facilities for doctors. A cross sectional study was done using a questionnaire-based survey. The Likert scale questionnaire was used to assess the attitude, and the Cronbach alpha coefficient checked the Likert items' internal consistency. The analysis of the data was done using SPSS version 25. When summarised by median and mode for the individual Likert items, the results showed that the final year undergraduate law students have a positive outlook towards tele-evidence facilities for doctors but lack exposure to such advances. A study taking into account the opinion of practising lawyers and judges, especially those who have done court hearings using tele-evidence facilities for doctors, needs to be done. 2024, Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine. All rights reserved. -
Assessment of bioactivity of the novel exopolysaccharide secreted by Bacillus subtilis isolated from the gut of marine anchovies
The current work focuses on the isolation, characterization, and purification of an exopolysaccharide secreted by a novel bacterium isolated from dried anchovies. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus subtilis using 16S sequencing. B. subtilis in MRS medium produced exopolysaccharide (EPS), which gave a maximum yield of 1928 mg/L. The total molecular weight of the polysaccharide present was around 20 kDa. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy of the EPS displays the existence of methylene, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups. Atomic force microscopy indicates a highly cross-linked structure with lumps. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed a coarse surface. The EPS also showed emulsification potential. This study shows that the EPS is a prospective candidate for further studies on their applications. 2024 Thejaswi Bhandary and Paari Kuppusamy Alagesan. -
Assessment of diversity, abundance, and seasonal variatons of bird species in Bengaluru District, India during COVID-19 lockdown
The study investgates bird populaton dynamics in Bengaluru, India, post-lockdown, focusing on occurrence, seasonal abundance, species diversity, richness, dominance, and evenness. It covers 55 bird species across 52 genera, grouped into 32 families within 13 orders, with a notable peak in winter. Various indices, including Shannon Wiener, Margalefs, Pielous, and Simpsons, reveal signifcant seasonal diferences in bird populaton characteristcs. The Rock Pigeon Columba livia dominates, while the Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus is less prevalent. The study identfes Near Threatened species like Black-headed Ibis and Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, along with Least Concern species per the IUCN Red List. Common species include Rock Pigeon, Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos, House Crow Corvus splendens, Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus, Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus, Common Myna Acridotheres trists, Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus, Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus, and Streak-throated Swallow Petrochelidon fuvicola. The study aims to inform improved management and conservaton strategies for Bengalurus diverse bird species. Hemanth et al. 2024. Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of this artcle in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton -
Assessment of microsatellite instability for screening bladder cancer in high-risk population
Aims: This study aims to determine the diagnostic efficacy of microsatellite markers for screening bladder cancer in population at high risk. Materials and Methods: A population of 200 people was screened for bladder cancer using a set of microsatellite markers. Urine samples were obtained from four different types of population groups - Group 1 (healthy population group), Group 2 (current smokers with a smoking history of more than 10 years), Group 3 (bladder cancer group), and Group 4 (bladder cancer group who were former smokers with a history of more than 10 years). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to amplify microsatellite sequences at D9S63, D9S156, and D9S283. PCR products were separated on 1.8% agarose gel and were scanned using ultraviolet transilluminator. Results: In Group 2 (high-risk population group, mainly current smokers with a history of more than 10 years), microsatellite alterations were found in 36 out of 50 people. We observed microsatellite alterations in 38 out of 50 people in Group 3 (bladder cancer group) and in 39 out of 50 people in Group 4 (bladder cancer group, mainly former smokers with a history of more than 10 years). The sensitivity of this test in Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4 was found to be 72%, 76% and 78%, respectively. The specificity of this test in each group was found to be 90%. Conclusion: Using these set of microsatellite markers, medium sensitivity and high specificity were reported for this test. The current findings suggest that a set of microsatellite markers (D9S63, D9S156, and D9S283) can be used to detect bladder cancer in high-risk population. 2018 Medknow Publications. All Rights Reserved. -
Assessment of ML techniques and suitability to predict the compressive strength of high-performance concrete (HPC)
Using industrial soil waste or secondary materials for making cement and concrete has encouraged the construction industry because it uses fewer natural resources. High-performance concrete (HPC) is recognized for its exceptional strength and sturdiness compared to conventional concrete. Accurate prediction of the compressive concentration of HPC is vital for optimizing the concrete mix design and ensuring structural integrity. Machine learning (ML) techniques have shown promise in predicting concrete properties, including compressive strength. This research focuses on various ML techniques for their suitability in predicting the compressive dilution of HPC. In this research, the Extended Deep Neural Network (EDNN) technique is used to analyze the strengths, limitations, and performance of different ML algorithms and identify the most effective methods for this specific prediction task. However, there is a problem with accuracy. Therefore, our research approach is the EDNN-centred strength characteristics prediction of HPC. In the suggested approach, data is initially acquired. Afterward, the data is pre-processed through normalization and removing missing data. Thus, the data are fed into the EDNN algorithm, which forecasts the strength characteristics of the particular mixed input designs. With the Multi-Objective Jellyfish Optimization (MOJO) technique, the value of weight is initialized in the EDNN. The activation function is the Gaussian radial function. In the experimental analysis, the implementation of the suggested EDNN is evaluated to the performance of the prevailing algorithms. When compared to current research methodologies, the proposed method performs better in this regard. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.