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The times of jeopardising free speech
Press freedom is at stake in India, which holds a dismal rank of 159 among 180 countries in the Press Freedom Index 2024. While dissent and democracy ideally go hand in hand, a glance at the present situation in India suggests that these terms are perceived as antonyms in practice. The state is exerting its repressive power over dissenters, particularly targeting media outlets that do not align with the states interests. The media has a great responsibility and obligation to the citizens to bring out real stories with diligence and truthfulness. In India, the depiction of socioeconomic and political realities is mostly done at utmost risk and with an air of uneasiness. The truth remains elusive to the majority of the public, as they receive information from a restrained source constantly under government surveillance. This article aims to analyse the current situation of media and democracy in India with reference to freedom of speech and expression. The writing is an outcome of analysing the past and present sociopolitical contexts in India concerning the concept of free speech. The Author(s) 2024. -
Student-managed investment funds (SMIFs) in India: the perspectives of student fund managers
Purpose: This paper aims to explore how the student fund managers perceive the benefits of being part of the fund. Furthermore, this paper examines the country-specific challenges of setting up and managing a student-managed investment fund (SMIF) in India. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative content analysis technique is used to identify, compare and retrieve critical themes about the present state of SMIF clubs in India. The data collection method involved structured, in-depth online interviews with ten student fund managers from various higher educational institutions in India. Findings: Some of the studys key findings indicate that the existence of SMIFs as part of learning facilitates group decision-making and peer learning. Additionally, this study brings to light specific issues related to registration, incorporating real-world practices and integrating SMIF into the academic curriculum. Social implications: The outcomes of this study shall be of use to students and the teaching fraternity across Indian colleges and universities who aspire to set up SMIFs as part of experiential learning. This study will also help existing SMIF clubs in India understand how their counterparts work and can consequently improvise their organizational structure and functioning. Originality/value: To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first interview-based evaluation of the present structure of SMIFs structured as clubs in India. 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited. -
The unseen dilemma of AI in mental healthcare
[No abstract available] -
Effectiveness of Couple Interventions in Marital Distress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Background: Couple interventions focus on resolving relationship issues and improving partners' intimacy. Several intervention models are used on different occasions to deal with the issues. The present systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of such couple interventions dealing with marital distress. Methods: Using the PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, a search was carried out to identify published articles in the areas of study. The meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of couple interventions by comparing the post-intervention assessments of the experimental and control groups. Results: The systematic review helped to identify twelve empirical studies published within the last ten years in the following databases: ScienceDirect, EBSCO, APA PsycINFO, NCBI, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. Meta-analysis showed a statistically significant overall effect size (Cohen's d = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.56-1.14). Cochran's Q showed that there was a substantial difference between the studies. There were signs of publication bias. Conclusion: The current study revealed an overall large effect size, indicating that different couple interventions had a noticeable impact on distressed couples who received interventions as opposed to couples who did not receive any interventions. 2025 Joesph et al. -
Efficient discrimination by MIRU-VNTRs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates belonging to the predominant SIT11/EAI3-IND ancestral genotypic lineage in Kerala, India
The present study evaluated the ability of MIRU-VNTRs to discriminate Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) clinical isolates belonging to the SIT11/EAI3-IND ancestral genotypic lineage, which is highly prevalent in Kerala, India. Starting from 168 MTB clinical isolates, spoligotyping (discriminatory index of 0.9113) differentiated the strains into 68 distinct patterns, the biggest cluster being SIT11/48 SIT11 ( n= 48). The present study shows that 12-loci MIRUs and 3 ETRs allowed an efficient discrimination of these isolates (discriminatory indexes of 0.7819 and 0.5523, respectively). 2013 Asian-African Society for Mycobacteriology. -
Digital Water Dynamics: Analyzing VA Tech Wabag's Influence on India's Water Technology Landscape
This research delves into the transformative role of VA Tech Wabag in India's water technology landscape, amid the burgeoning challenges of water scarcity, pollution, and infrastructure inadequacies. Leveraging a comprehensive review of literature and fundamental analysis, the study underscores the global shift towards digitalization and sustainability in water management, situating VA Tech Wabag's initiatives at the forefront of this paradigm shift. Through innovative digital water solutions and large-scale infrastructure projects, the company has markedly enhanced water quality and availability across diverse urban and rural settings, underpinning its financial resilience and growth trajectory despite regulatory and fiscal hurdles. The discussion extrapolates the implications of these technological advancements, highlighting the company's commitment to environmental stewardship, community engagement, and the imperative for continuous innovation within a dynamic industry landscape. Conclusively, the paper affirms VA Tech Wabag's pivotal contributions to water security and resilience, advocating for future research on the scalability of digital water technologies and their long-term impacts on resource management. This study, enriched with specific data points and analyses, aims to offer a well-substantiated overview of VA Tech Wabag's influence on shaping a sustainable and efficient water technology ecosystem in India. 2024 IEEE. -
Exploring the Adoption Readiness of the Indian Generation for Social Media Payments: An In-Depth Analysis of WhatsApp Payments
Advancements in technologies always get higher acceptance among people. Regarding payment technologies, integrating payment facility in the Social Media platform are considered a second-generation payment technology. With the introduction of Hike wallets and WhatsApp payment, unprecedented opportunities are available to the users. In India, with the introduction of WhatsApp on November 2020, the users of FinTech got opened a gateway to social media payment. Social Media payments are considered easy and convenient, but is the Indian generation, especially people born in the internet phase (Gen Y and Gen Z), ready to adopt WhatsApp payment. The current study was done to investigate the elements that contribute to the acceptance and use of the WhatsApp payment service in India. To attain this objective, we used an extended UTAUT2 model with the moderating effect of generation. The data was gathered from 265 respondents and analyzed using the PLS-SEM method. The results of the study outlined that Gen Z is strengthening the moderating effect only between the facilitating conditions of the users and the actual usage of WhatsApp payment. The practical implications and directions for the further research are mentioned in the study. ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2024. -
FinTech and Financial Capability, What Do We Know and What We Do Not Know: A Scoping Review
Purpose: The scoping review of this study was to investigate the existing literature on FinTech's impact on financial competence and draw conclusions from it. We applied Danielle Levac's recommendations and used the scoping review framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study involved identifying and analyzing 246 papers from major databases, followed by a rigorous screening process to select 54 relevant studies. Data coding, inclusion, and exclusion screening were conducted by us independently. Findings: According to the findings, studies on FinTech and financial capacity started in 2012, and since 2020, the number of studies has sharply increased. The analysis showed that financial inclusion was the primary focus of the major FinTech studies, suggesting possible research gaps in other aspects of financial competence. We suggested recommendations and prospective directions for further research in this developing subject based on these findings. Managerial Implications: This knowledge will help managers find opportunities for collaboration, offer fresh perspectives, and make wise choices, which will improve the sector. Theoretical Implications: Important concepts and relationships were found, new trends were highlighted, and theoretical advancements were suggested as a result of the inquiry. Through the filling of knowledge gaps, the study would guide future theoretical development, facilitate diverse perspectives, and support the construction of robust frameworks in the FinTech and financial capabilities sector. Originality/Value: This study offered a comprehensive review of the body of literature, pointing out areas in need of more research and knowledge gaps. The review's unique perspective for future study and innovation in understanding the relationship between FinTech and financial capacity is derived from its thorough synthesis of many studies. 2023, Associated Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. -
Sustainable tourism development in the backwaters of South Kerala, India: The local government perspective
Improper waste management continues to be a major challenge in the backwater destinations of South Kerala, India and the local government has been identified as a key player having a strong influence on sustainable tourism development initiatives in the destination. The study examines the major obstacles encountered while implementing sustainable tourism development practices in the backwater destinations of South Kerala, India. Qualitative data collected with the support of semi-structured interviews with top government officials of the Tourism Industry is used for the study. The findings from the study show that improper waste management affects sustainable tourism development in the backwater destinations, and that community involvement and community support are pre-requisites for implementing solid waste management practices in the backwater destinations of the state. The study also enlightens the roles of various stakeholders in waste management so as to develop a strong perspective of sustainable tourism development in the region. 2020 Editura Universitatii din Oradea. All rights reserved. -
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PRACTICES: A PERCEPTION of BACKWATER TOURISM DESTINATIONS in SOUTH KERALA, INDIA
The Tourism Industry in South Kerala focuses more on Houseboat Tourism and Backwater Tourism. The unique, natural features set this destination apart from nearby places, as backwater destinations are rich in numerous natural resources. The sustainable development of these resources will highly enhance the livelihood of the communities in the backwater regions. They will be able to attract tourists seeking unique backwater experiences. Therefore, this article intends to comprehend the stakeholders' perceptions on Sustainable Tourism Development in the backwater destinations of South Kerala in India. A total of 277 respondents participated in the research and the study adopted a quantitative research design, while considering the influence of various factors on the Economic, Social and Environmental Sustainability. The data gathered from the study illustrated that the perception of stakeholders about Sustainable Tourism Development varied across different groups. Hence, all the stakeholders in the Tourism Industry need to work together, as this coordination will help to strengthen future development plans, in order to minimize the negative impacts of tourism in the backwater destinations of South Kerala. The study has also identified key turning points that will help to reshape the Sustainable Development of backwater tourism destinations of South Kerala. 2021 Editura Universitatii din Oradea. All rights reserved. -
An Integrated Approach Towards Sustainable Waste Management: Decentralized and Community-Based Practices
Waste management has always been a growing concern, since enormous quantities of waste are generated in vulnerable tourism regions, leading to mounting environmental concerns and hazardous health issues, which are faced by the majority of the local bodies and local communities. Vulnerable destinations are unable to handle such large quantities of solid waste due to financial and institutional debilities. This chapter will present a comprehensive view of solid-waste-management mechanisms, and most importantly, will highlight important issues, like segregation of waste, an integrated approach for the treatment of waste and scientific disposal methods. Critical directions are presented to reiterate the several policies and programmes so as to improve the current scenario, and thereby, support the cities and towns by devising integrated strategies towards community engagement in waste management and the role of regulators in overcoming the challenges of solid-waste management in our country. This chapter is built on a sustainable outlook by providing an integrated framework of decentralized and community-based practices. It will also explore important dimensions of sustainability that will require greater attention towards a preliminary framework of sustainable community-based waste management. 2024 CRC Press. -
Adsorptive capacity of PANI/Bi2O3 composite through isotherm and kinetics studies on alizarin red
Adsorption offers numerous advantages for eliminating organic pollutants such as dyes, making it a valuable method for water treatment. Polyaniline/Bi2O3 (PANI/Bi2O3) nanocomposite is synthesized from aniline by the chemical oxidative polymerization method. The sample shows a high positive surface charge density as seen from zeta potential analysis. X-ray Diffraction analysis, FTIR analysis, UVvis spectroscopy technique, thermogravimetric analysis, BET N2 Adsorption-desorption analysis, DLS, and zeta potential analysis are the tools employed to characterize the PANI/Bi2O3 nanocomposite. The impact of PANI/Bi2O3 on the outcome of adsorption is confirmed by comparing the composite with pristine Bi2O3 and PANI. The effect of various factors like time, temperature, initial dye concentration, and varying pH on the adsorption efficiency is studied. A maximum adsorption efficiency of 95 % is observed when 100 mg of PANI/Bi2O3 nanocomposite is utilized for a duration of 100 min. The adsorption efficiency increases at higher temperatures, and a maximum adsorption efficiency is observed at a pH of 11.4. The adsorption isotherms proposed by Freundlich and Langmuir are examined to confirm the adsorption mechanism, which entails the creation of a single layer of dye molecules on the adsorbent's surface. Analysis of kinetic parameters indicates that the reaction follows pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics. The composite produced demonstrates effectiveness as an adsorbent for removing harmful organic pollutants from water sources. 2024 Elsevier B.V. -
PANI/Bi2O3 polymeric nanocomposite for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol
Nitro-aromatics pollute the aquatic environment and reach human beings via drinking water. 4-Nitrophenol (4-NP) is the most common pollutant among them and can be reduced to non-toxic 4-aminophenol in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4). Polyaniline/bismuth oxide (PANI/Bi2O3) nanocomposite is synthesized from aniline and Bi2O3 by chemical oxidative polymerization. The composition and structural properties of PANI/Bi2O3 composite are identified by various characterization methods like X-ray powder diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis , and zeta potential analysis. The synthesized PANI/Bi2O3 shows high catalytic efficiency towards the reduction of 4-NP in the presence of NaBH4 under optimized reaction conditions. The numerous active sites on the composite and the presence of PANI/Bi2O3 interface are the reasons for the reduction of 4-NP to 4-aminophenol. A complete degradation is achieved in 15min with 0.1g of the composite. This nanocomposite shows good stability for five cycles without losing efficiency. PANI/Bi2O3 possesses a high reduction capacity and can be used to reduce other nitro organic pollutants in water. The aim of the study is to study the effective catalytic reduction of 4-NP using PANI/Bi2O3. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. -
Some graphs with super vertex sum number 2
In this paper we give optimal super vertex sum labeling scheme for super subdivision of bi-star, path union of spider and algorithm to construct super vertex sum labeling of super subdivision of Caterpillar. 2018 Academic Publications. -
Svsl on combination of star with path
Super Vertex Sum Graph is a graph which admits super vertex sum labeling. In this paper, we combine stars and paths under different combinations which results in formation of new graphs and construct algorithm to obtain optimal super vertex sum labeling for the new graphs formed and their super subdivided graphs. 2020 Author(s). -
Moderating effect of social media usage on technology barriers to technology adoption by teachers
The education and learning process is redefined with the mesmerizing impact of ever-volatile technology platforms. With the advent of the Industry 4.0, supported by the intelligent web 3.0 connectivity catalyzed the transformation of traditional education philosophies and pedagogies in tune with the Learning 4.0, to empower both learners and educators as co-producers of knowledge. The researches brought to light that social application platforms became an indispensable part of the digital learning process. The bio-inspired technology designs considerably cast off the issues related to ease of use, perceived usefulness, and reduced the perceived internal barriers of the teachers to improve their Technology Adoption substantially. This Technology Adoption research was conducted under the theoretical framework of the education change model of Michael Fullan integrated with educators Communities of Practice. This descriptive research study framed to address how the teachers Technology Adoption was affected by their use of social media platforms and how it moderated their perceived Technology Barriers. Standardized questionnaires from Joe W. Kotrlik and Donna H. Redmann were adopted with a pilot study. Stratified cluster sampling was used to gather 1029 responses from Higher Secondary School teachers of six educational districts in Kerala. The analysis was done with IBM SPSS v.21 and Process v.3.4. Teachers Social Media Use and Perceived Technology Barriers were significantly correlated with the Technology Adoption of the teachers. The perceived Technology Barriers were reduced with respect to their Social Media Usage. The relation of perceived Technology Barriers with Technology Adoption was significantly moderated with Social Media Use. Gender and school sectors were neither mediated nor moderated Technology Adoption. These results are helpful in the teachers technology training programs and for further research. 2019 SERSC.