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Authentic Pride versus Hubristic Pride: Mediating Role of FoMO-directed Consumer Conformity Consumption Behaviour in Young Adults
Purpose-Sustainability is a word that has carried fame and prominence in the global conversation for the pro-environmental movement to protect the environment. Even making sustainable buying choices has been associated with individuals sense of identity in the socio-cultural sphere, especially when brands worldwide strongly promote them. This cross-sectional study aims to inquire if sustainability consciousness could impact consumers pride and, if yes, can fear of missing out (FoMO)-directed conformity consumption mediate the relationship between them or not. Method-Three standardised scales: the Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire, 14-item Hubristic and Authentic Pride Scale and Consumer Consumption-FoMO Questionnaire, were administered to 18 to 35-year-old Indian young adults (N=204) recruited online to identify their levels of sustainability consciousness, hubristic and authentic pride and FoMO-directed consumer conformity consumption behaviour. Thus, convenient sampling was employed to collect the data for the study. The analysis involved Pearsons product-moment correlation followed by regression using SPSS software. Further, Sobels tests were conducted to verify the mediating roles of FoMO-directed consumer conformity consumption behaviour in relationships across sustainability consciousness and pride. Results Statistical analyses revealed that sustainable behaviours positively related to authentic pride with no mediating effects by FoMO-directed consumption behaviour. Similarly, sustainability attitudes are inversely associated with hubristic pride, but no mediating effects results were significant. On the other hand, sustainability knowingness was negatively related to hubristic pride, and the relationship was mediated significantly by certain but not all dimensions of FoMO. Conclusion-The study instilled empirical evidence for adaptive and maladaptive types of pride derived from sustainable orientation and the significant role of FoMO in strengthening hubristic pride. 2024 RJ4All. -
Phytochemicals of Nardostachys jatamansi as potential inhibitors of HCV E2 receptor: An in silico study
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the causative agent of acute and chronic hepatitis and can lead to liver cirrhosis. High variability in the HCV genome renders vaccine formulation strenuous. Modern pharmaceuticals rely heavily on plant-based compounds for drug production. This study focuses on in-silico screening of phytochemicals derived from an herbal plant, Nardostachys jatamansi, for the treatment of HCV by inhibiting its E2 receptor, which binds to the hepatocytes, enabling viral entry into the liver. Computer-aided drug design utilizes various tools such as molecular docking tools, including AutoDock Vina, Avogadro, PyMol, Discovery Studio Visualizer, LigPlot+, and online tools like SwissADME (Absorption, Delivery, Metabolism and Excretion) for analysis of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of phytochemicals. Toxicity studies were carried out using pkCSM. 25 bioactive phytochemicals of N. jatamansi were analysed. The analysis was validated by comparing the data of the phytochemicals with an established antiviral drug, ribavirin. This is a novel approach to docking studies, exploring the possibility of medicinal plants as anti-hepatic drugs. Of the 25 compounds, nardosatachysin and ?-gurjunene are the standout performers and are considered potent inhibitors of HCV E2 receptor. The two compounds are recommended for further in vivo and in vitro trials to assess their efficacy in treating HCV infection. 2024 Lalrintluanga Hnamte, et al. -
Understanding the technological evolution in electronic payments system in India and the acceptance
Banking in India has seen amazing technical and infrastructure advancements during the last two decades. Businesses can use the payment and settlement system to receive and make payments for goods and services, as well as to repay money. The RBIs commitment to providing the general population with low-cost, accessible, and all-inclusive payment services has contributed in the quick acceptance and paradigm shift from paper to electronic medium. Using the larger TAM model, this article evaluates payment technology advancements from 2019 through 2022. According to the study, there was a 100% rise in UPI/IMPS and a 40% increase in NEFT compared to December 2018. The paper discusses the acceptability of the paradigm transition from paper to electronic payment media. The papers scope is limited to three years, from January 2019 to December 2021. The study contributes to various findings and insights on Indias embrace of digital payment and the payment paradigm change. 2024 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. -
Effect of Phonological and Phonetic Interventions on Proficiency in English Pronunciation and Oral Reading
The current research aimed to know the effect of phonological and phonetic interventions in enhancing proficiency in English pronunciation and oral reading among teacher trainees. This study was of single-group pretest and posttest intervention designs. The sample size was selected through a stratified random sampling technique from teacher training colleges in Bengaluru. Two hundred and seven teacher trainees with L1 proficiency were chosen proportionately from Bangalore strata and orientated. Participants (N = 32) enrolled voluntarily in the intervention program for 20 hr. Intervention modules on phonology and phonetics were developed by the researcher and a segmental approach was adopted to teach modules in 20 sessions. After every session, the participants were allowed to record the modules in Audacity, a multiaudio recorder application. The recorded modules were interpreted, and scores were determined on number of intelligible words pronounced by the participants. Further, it was validated by the experts to authenticate the determined scores. The researcher applied oscillographic and observation methods to analyze the participants' progress in pronunciation and oral reading proficiency levels during the experiment. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to test the impact of intervention between the pretest and posttest (before and after intervention). The hypotheses testing revealed the difference between preintervention and postintervention scores in phonological and phonetic awareness and oral reading among teacher trainees, and the sig. value is less than 0.05 across all the attributes. This study insists that English phonology and phonetics must be a crucial part of the English language teaching (ELT) curriculum and highlights that teachers must be able to spot the most appropriate pronunciation teaching and train the students of English as a foreign language (EFL) with intricates of intelligible pronunciation. This study navigates the need for language proficiency among teacher trainees, especially in English pronunciation and oral reading, and substantiates the evidence that effective intervention and teachers' knowledge of pronunciation enhance proficiency levels in pronunciation and oral reading among teacher trainees. Finally, it hopes that B.Ed colleges and teacher educators will be beckoned to use technology-integrated intervention to teach phonology and phonetics. 2024 Diwakar Prahaladaiah and Kennedy Andrew Thomas. -
Role of Symptomatic Management in Understanding Effects of Early Integration of Palliative Care among Nonmetastatic Lung Cancer Patients on Psychological Well-Being
Aim. The impact of early referral to palliative care on quality of life for patients with lung cancer has already been discussed. However, the benefits of early integration of palliative care service (EIPCS) combined with standard oncology care for nonmetastatic lung cancer patients remain unclear. Hence, we designed a study to assess the impact of EIPCS among nonmetastatic cancer patients in India. Methods. In this randomized controlled trial study, we divided the data from 115 patients with diagnosed nonmetastatic lung cancer between age group of >18 years to ?65 years. Following clinicopathological and radiology diagnosis, patients were referred to pain and palliative medicine department. Patients were randomly assigned by palliative physicians into two groups: Group A (N = 64), those who were receiving standard oncology care (chemotherapy or radiation or both) along with EIPCS, and Group B (N = 51), receiving standard oncology care. Patients were followed up every 3 weeks up to 3 months. Primary outcomes, symptoms' burden, and psychological well-being were measured by validated tools. To define the impact of EIPCS, appropriate statistics were calculated as the mean standard deviation of the score of validated tools. Statistical significance was defined at p<0.005. Results. From the beginning, we had taken 115 patients, and on 42 days' follow-up, the number of dropout patients for Group A was 3 (due to unable to contact), and for Group B, 9 (due to physical condition). This was followed by a reassessment after 126 days where dropout patients for Group A was 4 (due to unable to contact), and for Group B, 7 (due to physical condition). Following statistical report compliance at 126 days by WEMWBS was 21.16 3.65 in Group A versus 16.1 1.93 versus in Group B and by ESAS 51.84 0.01 in Group A versus 97.64 2.18 in Group B. Conclusion. The findings of this study showed that patients with nonmetastatic lung cancer who received standard oncology care combined with EIPCS had increased the psychological well-being and reduced symptoms burden. 2024 Arunima Datta et al. -
Fungal endophytic species Fusarium annulatum and Fusarium solani : Identification, molecular characterization, and study of plant growth promotion properties
Research on endophytic fungi has gained significant interest due to their potential to enhance plant growth directly by producing phytohormones, solubilizing macronutrients, fixing nitrogen, or indirectly inhibiting phytopathogens growth by producing ammonia, siderophore, hydrogen cyanide, or extracellular enzymes, thereby acting as biocontrol agents. The present study aimed to isolate fungal endophytes from Alternanthera philoxeroides and evaluate their plant growth promotion and antimicrobial activity. In total, nine fungal endophytic strains were isolated from different parts of A. philoxeroides such as leaves, roots, and stems. The results demonstrate that the strains MEFAphS1 and MEFAphR3 exhibited positive plant growth promotion properties, including phosphate solubilization, and IAA (Indoleacetic acid) production, and ammonia production. The IAA production was highest for MEFAphS1, with a concentration of 46.6351.04 g/mL, while MEFAphR3 displayed the highest ammonia production (0.9030.01 g/ mL). The phosphate solubilization index (PSI) is the maximum for MEFAphS1 (1.50.10). MEFAphS1 also exhibited antibacterial activity against Vibrio vulnificus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and V. parahaemolyticus, with the most substantial inhibition zone observed against V. vulnificus (281 mm). In contrast, MEFAphR3 showed an inhibition zone of 81.53 mm against V. parahaemolyticus. Molecular identification revealed the identity of the isolates MEFAphS1 and MEFAphR3 as Fusarium solani and F. annulatum. These results thus confirm the possible applications of the fungal endophytes as plant biofertilizers and bio-enhancers to increase crop productivity. Copyright: The Author(s). -
Influence of family-work conflict on career break decision among Indian women: when family ties, tie you down!
The study is an attempt to understand the influence of the constructs in the family domain on the career break decision of women employed in the service sector in India a country facing a conundrum of rising female literacy and falling workforce participation. This study proposes a model that explores the direct and indirect relationship between the antecedents of family-work conflict and intention to quit. Data from a sample of 346 women, who had experienced career-break in service sector, was collected through purposive sampling. The researchers probed the relationship between family-work-conflict and intention to quit and mediating influence of job and life satisfaction. Hypotheses were tested though structural equation modelling. Results confirmed that role-overload and gender-stereotyped beliefs were found to be the most significant constructs. Job satisfaction came across as having mediating effect. Stakeholders need to facilitate a path that permits her to continue to nurture her family without having to give up her dreams. 2024 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. -
Blackberry gel-assisted combustion modified MgO: Sm3+ nanoparticles for photocatalytic, battery, sensor and antibacterial applications
Green synthetic methods are currently preferred in industry over other physicochemical methods. Herein, we present a facile, environmentally friendly, non-toxic approach for the fabrication of MgO using jamun fruit extract. The phytochemicals present in the fruit extract, such as kaemferol, glucoside, anthocyanins, ellagic acid, myricetin, and isoquercetin, facilitate the bio-reduction of Mg(NO3)2. Pure and Sm3+ (17 mol %) doped MgO nanomaterials were synthesized using this bio-mediated synthetic method. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized nanomaterials were studied using Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and Diffused Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) techniques. The effect of Sm3+ ions on the host matrix for the photo-catalytic oxidation of Fast Orange-Red (FOR) dye was investigated under UV light irradiation. MgO: Sm3+(3 mol %) exhibited superior (94 %) degradation of the dye compared to pristine and other doped catalysts, attributed to the maximum migration of charge carriers at the catalyst's surface. Additionally, the 3 mol % Sm3+ doped MgO electrode demonstrated a smaller charge transfer resistance, indicating superior capacitive properties compared to pristine and other doped electrodes. The synthesized materials also exhibited effective bacterial activity against pathogens. This research demonstrates the potential of the synthesized nanomaterials for environmental pollution purification, as well as their utility as electrode materials for supercapacitors, batteries, sensors, and antibacterial applications. 2024 The Author(s) -
An Investigation of the Effects of Chronic Stress on Attention in Parents of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Prolonged exposure to stress can cause impairments in various brain functions including cognition. Attention is one such important cognitive function that is required for our daily life and work-related activities. Chronic stress can have an impact on attention networks such as alerting, executive control, and orienting. The effects of naturalistic, persistent psychosocial stress on several attention networks were explored in this study. Parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and parents of children with typical development (TD) were given an attention network test (ANT). Overall the stressed group (M= 564.623, SD= 75.484) was found to have a quicker reaction time in all the target and cue conditions whencompared to the non-stressed group (M= 588.874, SD= 101.575). Both groups had similar accuracy in all the conditions. When comparing the three attention network scores, no significantdifference was found in either group. However, in the stressed group, there was a significant beneficial relationship between the alerting and orienting networks (p=.006) and a high negative correlation between the alerting and executive control networks (p=.028). No significant correlation was found between the attention networks in the non-stressed group. Copyright2024 by authors, all rights reserved. -
A novel fibrinolytic enzyme producer from mangrove soil sediments: Screening, isolation, strain improvement, and fermentation
Fibrinolytic enzymes are used for addressing many cardiovascular disease conditions. However, current fibrinolytic enzymes are highly expensive with many side effects which necessitate the development of alternative cost-effective processes for low-cost production of these lifesaving enzymes. Since the availability of a suitable strain is considered the basic requirement for any process development effort, we started our work in this direction with screening and isolation of fibrinolytic enzyme producers. The goal of this study was to screen and isolate fibrinolytic enzyme producers from a relatively unexplored environment, i.e., the mangroves. Mangroves are wetlands and are one of the unique and less studied habitats for the production of therapeutic molecules. Microbiota that produces fibrinolytic enzymes from Coringa mangroves located in Kakinada District, Andhra Pradesh, India, is lacking. Therefore, in this study, fibrinolytic enzyme-producing bacterium was screened from samples obtained from Coringa mangroves. Out of 200, protease enzyme-producing isolates obtained from screening 30 mangrove soil samples, 7 isolates exhibiting fibrinolytic activity were selected. Out of these 7, the highest fibrinolytic enzyme-producing bacterial strain (AIBL_AMSB2) was characterized by biochemical and genomic methods, which was finally identified as Bacillus subtilis subsp. Inaquosorum by 16S rRNA analysis. The strain was also found to be an amylase producer. AIBL_AMSB2 was subjected to strain improvement using random mutagenesis techniques (i) Ultraviolent radiations (UV) and (ii) Ethyl methyl Sulphonate (EMS), which resulted in an improved mutant strain AIBL_AMSB2_M7E32 exhibiting 54.70% improvement in fibrinolytic activity. Batch fermentation in controlled experimental conditions using the obtained mutant strain resulted in a 133.54% increase in growth OD and a 391.11% increase in enzyme activity. Thus, the study reports an increased fibrinolytic enzyme activity producing mangrove isolate and its production by submerged fermentation. Further studies to prove the potential of the enzyme on blood clots are necessary to utilize for industrial application. 2024 Bhavana Sompalli and Alok Malaviya. -
High-Performance ?-cyclodextrin-Ti3C2Tx MXene-Based Electrochemical Sensor for the Detection of Neurological Disorder Biomarker
In this work, the ?-cyclodextrin-MXene (?-CD-MXene) composite was employed as a modifier for carbon fiber paper (CFP) electrodes and quantification of L-methionine (L-Met). The ?-CD-MXene composite was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis route by adding ?-CD and Ti3C2Tx MXenes obtained via the Minimally intensive layer delamination technique. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) were conducted to study the influence of scan rate and pH on the electrooxidation of L-Met studies using the ?-CD-MXene/CFP electrode. The layered structure of the exfoliated Ti3C2Tx MXenes with charge transfer efficiency in combination with the host-guest interaction ability of ?-CD enhances the electrooxidation of L-Met. The ?-CD-MXene/CFP electrode showcased high sensitivity, reproducibility, and stability, and the anodic peak currents were in linearity with L-Met concentration within the range of 0.09-540 ?M and LOD of 0.03 ?M under various optimized conditions. In addition, the developed sensor showcases highly selective and non-interfering sensing of L-Met. 2024 The Electrochemical Society (ECS). Published on behalf of ECS by IOP Publishing Limited. -
Unveiling the Motivation Drivers in Start-Up Workspace
This article delves into the relationship between workplace happiness and productivity in startup settings. Its primary objective is to dissect the multifaceted factors impacting employee well-being, aiming to enhance overall efficiency by customizing the work environment in myriad ways. For this study, a descriptive causal methodology was employed to investigate the impact of workplace happiness on productivity within start-up companies. A carefully structured questionnaire was administered to 256 employees within well-established organisations in Bangalore, India. Participants were selected through a Judgement sampling process to ensure impartial and unbiased representation. Survey respondents preferred the pre-COVID working conditions, acknowledging their advantages. However, the increased autonomy and flexibility in work arrangements have led to enhanced productivity under the new hybrid model. Notably, when employees are entrusted with greater responsibility, their job satisfaction rises, resulting in increased work output. organizations are now tasked with offering additional incentives to remote employees, thereby elevating the satisfaction and job fulfilment experienced by these individuals. Effectively tackling challenges necessitates the alignment of learning and development objectives with the internal business processes that maximize each employee's abilities and potential. This involves meeting the criteria outlined in the balanced scorecard components. 2024, Iquz Galaxy Publisher. All rights reserved. -
Role of energy sources in promotion of sustainable development: moderating implications of globalisation
This study empirically investigates the impact of renewable and non-renewable energy generation on sustainable development for a balancedpanel of 68 developed and developing economies from 1990 to 2019. This is done to scrutinise the intricate interplay between energy sources and sustainable development outcomes at the global level. The estimated models also control for the effects of globalisation, urbanisation, and government expenditure. The Westerlund cointegration establishes a significant long-run relationship between the variables under consideration. In this regard, the two-step dynamic system-generalised moment method (system GMM) demonstrates a positive impact of renewable energy, globalisation, and government expenditure on sustainable development. In contrast, non-renewable energy and urbanisation exert detrimental influences on it. However, both the energy sources demonstrate an amplified positive impact on sustainable development under the moderating influence of globalisation. The Feasible Generalised Least Squares estimation also confirms the long-run reliability of these baseline findings. Furthermore, Granger based non-causality test establishes a significant causal relationship between the variables under consideration. Potential policy suggestions for promoting the sustainable development are also discussed. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2024. -
Magnetohydrodynamic flow of two immiscible hybrid nanofluids between two rotating disks
The two-layer model of the magnetohydrodynamic flow of hybrid nanofluid (HNF) between two disks of the same radii is analyzed in this study. The base fluids of both the hybrid nanofluids are immiscible so that these two fluids form an interfacial layer making the study more unique and innovative. The heat source/sink with viscous dissipation effect on energy equation is discussed. The governing equation is in the form of PDEs that are later reduced to ODEs with the help of the Von Karman transformation. The resulting ODEs are solved using the RK method and the results are interpreted graphically. In addition to temperature and concentration gradient, the radial, tangential and axial velocities for different parameters are studied. The results indicate that the physical ratios such as viscosity and thermal conductivity ratios can improve the fluid motion and temperature even in the presence of magnetic field. Also, the ratio of stretching rate produced by the rotation of disk can effectively control the fluid motion. The two fluid flow between two rotating disk forms an interfacial layer between the fluids results in the increment of heat transfer rate which finds application in the field such as heat ex-changer equipment, Cryogenic systems, electronic appliances, and solar collectors. 2024 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. -
Green-Synthesized Sm3+-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles for Multifunctional Applications
The present study focuses on the green-mediated synthesis of pristine and Sm3+-doped ZnO nanoparticles using Syzygium cumini fruit extract. The prepared material was characterized by various characterization techniques. Photocatalytic degradation of a fast orange red (FOR) dye under UV light resulted in 88% degradation, with a minimal decrease (87.90%) observed even after five successive runs, indicating the stability and effectiveness of the catalyst. The enhancement in degradation efficiency is attributed to the incorporation of Sm3+ ions into the ZnO lattice. Utilizing the optimized Sm3+ (5 mol%)-doped ZnO nanoparticles, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) were performed on the prepared electrode, demonstrating the excellent CV properties; this enhancement is attributed to the modification of ZnO's redox chemistry and the alteration of charge transfer kinetics at the electrode-electrolyte interface due to the addition of Sm3+ into the ZnO structure. The antibacterial activity was performed against two pathogenic strains, i.e., Escherichia coli and Streptococcus aureus. The obtained results suggest that the prepared material holds great promise for catalytic, energy storage, antibacterial, and other multifunctional applications. 2024 Lavanya R. et al. -
Unpacking the Psychology of Investment Intention: The Role of Emotional Intelligence, Personality Traits, and Risk Behaviour
In the dynamic realm of wealth accumulation, investments demand a meticulous evaluation of both financial and non-financial aspects inherent in securities. Prudent decision-making surpasses a fixation on anticipated returns, requiring a nuanced assessment of an investment's potential to actualize desired earnings. This study challenges the presumption of investor rationality in traditional financial theories, emphasizing the profound impact of non-financial determinants on decision-making, including personality traits, emotional intelligence, and risk behavior. With a robust sample size of 396 respondents, the research establishes a statistically significant correlation between emotional intelligence, personality traits, risk behavior, and the intricate domain of investment decisions. For middle-class investors, a pivotal recommendation emerges: fostering a discerning comprehension of one's psychological attributes. Active collaboration with seasoned financial advisers is imperative, serving as a compass through the complexities of the modern financial milieu. This holistic approach, harmonizing financial acumen with nuanced psychological insight, proves indispensable for navigating intricacies and facilitating judicious investment decisions aligned with individual aspirations and risk thresholds. The nuanced integration of financial prudence and psychological acuity fortifies investment portfolios and establishes a resilient foundation for adeptly navigating the dynamic terrain of wealth management. 2024, Iquz Galaxy Publisher. All rights reserved. -
A novel two-tier feature selection model for Alzheimers disease prediction
The interdisciplinary research studies of artificial intelligence in health sector is bringing drastic life saving changes in the healthcare domain. One such aspect is the early disease prediction using machine learning and regression algorithms. The purpose of this research is to improve the prediction accuracy of Alzheimers disease by analysing the correlation of unexplored Alzheimer causing diseases. The work proposes Chi square-lasso ridge linear (Chi-LRL) model, a new two-tier feature ranking model which recognizes the significance of including diabetes, blood pressure and body mass index as potential Alzhiemer predictive parameters. The newly added predictive parameters of Alzheimers disease were statistically verified along with the conventional prediction parameters using chi-square method (Chi) as Tier 1 and an embedded model of lasso, ridge and linear (LRL) Regression for feature ranking as Tier 2. The performance of the proposed Chi-LRL model with selected features were then analysed using machine learning algorithms for performance analysis. The result shows a noticeable performance by selecting eleven significant features and a 4.5% increase in the prediction accuracy of Alzheirmer disease. 2024 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved. -
UV-C and gamma radiation mediated L-DOPA production from in-vitro cultures of Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC
This is the first report on UV-C and gamma rays mediated in-vitro elicitation of L-DOPA from Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. cell suspension cultures. Gamma and ultraviolet rays are used on plants to induce mutations which results in activation of defence cascades and production of secondary metabolites due to this abiotic stress. The in-vitro callus developed from 0.5mg/L picloram was suspended into liquid medium and exposed to different time intervals (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60min) of UV-C radiations. On the other hand, the seeds were directly exposed to different doses (25, 50, 100, 150 and 200Gy) of gamma radiations and these irradiated seeds were grown in-vitro from which callus and cell cultures were established. From all these in-vitro cultures, the anti-Parkinsons drug L-DOPA was quantified using HPLC. 60 and 30-minute exposure of UV-C radiations resulted in highest biomass (193.27g/L FW) and L-DOPA production (5.13mg/g DW) respectively both showing a 1.5-fold increase than the control. In gamma radiation studies, 100Gy (Gy) dose showed the highest (83%) seed germination rate, 150Gy increased the in-vitro root and shoot length, while 100Gy increased the biomass of the cell cultures. Also, 150Gy dose showed a 6.1, 2.6 and 2.4-fold increase in L-DOPA production in the in-vitro roots, in-vitro shoots, and cell suspension culture respectively when compared to the control. UV light exposure of 30min and 150Gy doses of gamma radiation showed a significant increase in L-DOPA production. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Plant Research 2024. -
Impact of porous nanoparticles on the electro-optical and dielectric parameters of nematic liquid crystals for display applications: Cost effective approach
In this study, several vital electro-optical and dielectric properties of nematic liquid crystal (NLC) dispersed with porous carbon nanoparticles (PCNP) with three different concentrations were measured. NLCs are birefringent materials. Increased birefringence was observed for NLC-PCNP composites. Dielectric study was also performed for NLC dispersed with PCNPs. Dielectric anisotropy was found to be increased for PCNP dispersed NLC system. Contrast ratio was also measured for NLC dispersed with PCNP, and it is found to be enhanced. Decreased threshold voltage was observed after dispersing PCNP into NLC. High birefringence reduces the cell gap so this work may be applicable in the making of flat panel displays (FPDs). 2024 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. -
LANGUAGE CONTACT AND CHANGE: AN ANALYSIS OF HERITAGE KONKANI IN KERALA; [CONTACTE LINGSTIC I CANVI: UNA ANISI DEL PATRIMONI KONKANI A KERALA]; [CONTACTO LINGSTICO Y CAMBIO: UN ANISIS DEL PATRIMONIO KONKANI EN KERALA]
This paper analyses the extent of language contact induced change in the sound system of heritage Konkani community of Kerala, India. Heritage Konkanis, belonging to different castes namely Gowda Saraswat Brahmins (GSB), Saraswat non-brahmins, Konkan Sonars, Vaishya Vaniyar and Kudumbi, started migrating to Kerala in the late 13th century. The upper caste GSBs remained as a closed community until 20th century, which helped in the maintenance of their language. Linguistic data for the study was collected from 20 GSB youths of the age group 18-35 using Snowball sampling method. The analysis of the data shows loss of features such as aspiration and nasalization, which are inherent to Konkani. This indicates the vulnerable linguistic situation of the GSB community whose mother tongue exhibits linguistic variations, as a result of prolonged coexistence with the majority language, Malayalam. 2024 University of Barcelona. All rights reserved.