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Bioengineering of biowaste to recover bioproducts and bioenergy: A circular economy approach towards sustainable zero-waste environment
The inevitable need for waste valorisation and management has revolutionized the way in which the waste is visualised as a potential biorefinery for various product development rather than offensive trash. Biowaste has emerged as a potential feedstock to produce several value-added products. Bioenergy generation is one of the potential applications originating from the valorisation of biowaste. Bioenergy production requires analysis and optimization of various parameters such as biowaste composition and conversion potential to develop innovative and sustainable technologies for most effective utilization of biowaste with enhanced bioenergy production. In this context, feedstocks, such as food, agriculture, beverage, and municipal solid waste act as promising resources to produce renewable energy. Similarly, the concept of microbial fuel cells employing biowaste has clearly gained research focus in the past few decades. Despite of these potential benefits, the area of bioenergy generation still is in infancy and requires more interdisciplinary research to be sustainable alternatives. This review is aimed at analysing the bioconversion potential of biowaste to renewable energy. The possibility of valorising underutilized biowaste substrates is elaborately presented. In addition, the application and efficiency of microbial fuel cells in utilizing biowaste are described in detail taking into consideration of its great scope. Furthermore, the review addresses the significance bioreactor development for energy production along with major challenges and future prospects in bioenergy production. Based on this review it can be concluded that bioenergy production utilizing biowaste can clearly open new avenues in the field of waste valorisation and energy research. Systematic and strategic developments considering the techno economic feasibilities of this excellent energy generation process will make them a true sustainable alternative for conventional energy sources. 2023 Elsevier Ltd -
Heterojunction engineered MWCNT/Ag3PO4 via organic acid and its natural light-assisted photocatalytic efficiency
Compositing photoactive, but unstable semiconductors with low dimensional carbon-based materials and modulating the hetero junction between them can assure more efficient and stable systems for the remediation of severe pollutants. The current study has given emphasis to understand the role of sulfonic acid in making a compact heterojunction between AP and MWCNTs, considering the effective delocalization of carriers and the direct relationship with the photoactivity. The significant reduction in the band gap of AP from 2.320 to 2.0516ev after the introduction of MWCNTs unmistakably confirmed the compatibility between the composite moieties. The intensity of the photoluminescence peak observed at an emission wavelength of 350nm for pure AP was found to be minimized in the composite, which confirms the effective charge delocalization from AP to the conductive MWCNTs. The closest bond distance was observed in the range of 2.3 to 2.5between an O atom of Ag3PO4 and a C atom of CNT, which explains the tight contact between the species. The photoactivity studies unambiguously confirmed the potential of the organic acid at the composite interface as it could accomplish 99% dye degradation within a span of 8min, whilst the system without the organic acid exhibited complete degradation within a span of 60min. The p-XRD analysis of the catalyst recovered from the reaction mixture revealed its high stability. 2023 Elsevier B.V. -
Growth trajectories for executive and social cognitive abilities in an Indian population sample: Impact of demographic and psychosocial determinants
Cognitive abilities are markers of brain development and psychopathology. Abilities, across executive, and social domains need better characterization over development, including factors that influence developmental change. This study is based on the cVEDA [Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalizing Disorders and Addictions] study, an Indian population based developmental cohort. Verbal working memory, visuo-spatial working memory, response inhibition, set-shifting, and social cognition (faux pas recognition and emotion recognition) were cross-sectionally assessed in > 8000 individuals over the ages 623 years. There was adequate representation across sex, urban-rural background, psychosocial risk (psychopathology, childhood adversity and wealth index, i.e. socio-economic status). Quantile regression was used to model developmental change. Age-based trajectories were generated, along with examination of the impact of determinants (sex, childhood adversity, and wealth index). Development in both executive and social cognitive abilities continued into adulthood. Maturation and stabilization occurred in increasing order of complexity, from working memory to inhibitory control to cognitive flexibility. Age related change was more pronounced for low quantiles in response inhibition (??4 versus =2 for higher quantiles), but for higher quantiles in set-shifting (? > ?1 versus ?0.25 for lower quantiles). Wealth index had the largest influence on developmental change across cognitive abilities. Sex differences were prominent in response inhibition, set-shifting and emotion recognition. Childhood adversity had a negative influence on cognitive development. These findings add to the limited literature on patterns and determinants of cognitive development. They have implications for understanding developmental vulnerabilities in young persons, and the need for providing conducive socio-economic environments. 2023 Elsevier B.V. -
The role of classroom engagement on academic grit, intolerance to uncertainty and well-being among school students during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India
The forced changes and disruptions in educational systems and learning experiences due to the pandemic has impacted students' mental health and well-being. The present study aims to understand the effects of the determinants of well-being on students in India during the second wave (April to August 2021) of the COVID-19 pandemic. The determinants of well-being in this study areacademic grit, intolerance to uncertainty and students' engagement in an online learning environment. In this study, well-being is characterized as students' confidence and satisfaction in an online learning and pandemic environment. The data collected from 1174 students (1219 years) from various states, using standardized tools, were analyzed to find out about the mediating effect of students' engagement on the relationship between academic grit and well-being, and between intolerance to uncertainty and well-being. Further, the model fit analysis of the determinants of well-being is explored.The paper reports that students' classroom engagement does mediate in the path of academic grit and well-being, and in the path of intolerance to uncertainty and well-being. It also evidence the model fit of the influence of the determinants of well-being on that of school students during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also draws implications and suggestions for educators using the current model of students' well-being. 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. -
A brief review of portfolio optimization techniques
Portfolio optimization has always been a challenging proposition in finance and management. Portfolio optimization facilitates in selection of portfolios in a volatile market situation. In this paper, different classical, statistical and intelligent approaches employed for portfolio optimization and management are reviewed. A brief study is performed to understand why portfolio is important for any organization and how recent advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence can help portfolio managers to take right decisions regarding allotment of portfolios. A comparative study of different techniques, first of its kind, is presented in this paper. An effort is also made to compile classical, intelligent, and quantum-inspired techniques that can be employed in portfolio optimization. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. -
A concise route to fused tetrazolo scaffolds through 10-camphor sulfonic acid auto-tandem homogeneous catalysis and mechanistic investigation
10-Camphor sulfonic acid (10-CSA) as an organo-catalyst has gained interest due to its versatile solubility and easiness of handling. This work reports a simple synthetic method through non-classical Biginelli for the construction of tetrazolo pyrimidine (4a-m) and quinazolines (4a?-o?). Azolopyrimidines and quinazolines are of great pharmaceutical importance. Numerous compounds are currently in use for the treatment of different diseases. Therefore their synthesis is industrially inevitable. Employing aldehydes, 1,3-dicarbonyls, and 5-Aminotetrazole, we report eco-friendly, cost-effective catalysis through a tandem reaction catalyzed by the 10-CSA that gave excellent yields, 7095 % for tetrazolo quinazoline and 4576 % tetrazolo pyrimidines respectively. The homonuclear NOESY analysis confirms the selective formation of one isomer. All the compounds are characterised by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS. Investigation of the reaction mechanism by both experimental and theoretical studies provides evidence. Mechanism of the reaction was also explained utilizing the information from mass spectrometry monitoring. DFT calculation carried out at PBEPBE (Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof) functional and 6-31G (d,p) basis set level of theory of the various intermediates observed supports the experimental evidence. 2023 Elsevier B.V. -
Gravity-modulated RayleighBard convection in a Newtonian liquid bounded by rigidfree boundaries: a comparative study with other boundary conditions
Effect of different boundaries on the gravity-modulated RayleighBard convection has been investigated with an emphasis on rigidfree boundaries. Small-amplitude and large-amplitude modulations are studied using the linear stability analysis. The modified Venezian approach is used to study small-amplitude modulations using different modes of perturbations and the superposition principle. The existence of subharmonic motions for the case of large-amplitude modulations was explored using the Mathieu equation arising from the linear stability analysis. Floquet theory was used together with Hills infinite determinant method to compute the critical Rayleigh number for the case of large-amplitude modulations. Weakly non-linear analysis is performed leading to the cubic StuartLandau equation from the Lorenz system. Heat transport was quantified using the Nusselt number and the mean Nusselt numbers for different amplitudes and frequencies. It was found that gravity modulation has, in general, a stabilizing effect on the convection process in all three boundary types, and the heat transport was found to be an increasing function of amplitude. Another important outcome of the study is that the critical Rayleigh number for the onset of convection for rigidfree boundaries lies between those of the corresponding values of the freefree and rigidrigid boundaries in the case of both harmonic and subharmonic motions which could be exploited in controlling convection. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. -
Adsorptive removal of Cr (VI) using mesoporous iron-aluminum oxyhydroxide-polyvinyl alcohol self-supporting film: Kinetics, optimization studies and mechanism
Over the past decades, the disposal of heavy metals like Cr(VI) from industries had an adverse effect on the environment, thus making it a topic of particular interest. In this context, mesoporous Aluminum oxyhydroxide-polyvinyl alcohol self-supporting films were synthesized, and different transition metals (V, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) were incorporated by an eco-friendly route, and their adsorptive capacity towards Cr (VI) was studied. The composite mesoporous film with iron, aluminum oxyhydroxide and PVA was more efficient adsorbent than other transition metal incorporated aluminum oxyhydroxide films. The surface and chemical properties of the film were confirmed by pXRD, FTIR, Raman Spectra, BET-Surface area, BJH, SEM and Optical Profilometry. Furthermore, the effect of different parameters that impact the adsorption capacity towards Cr (VI) is discussed, including adsorbent load, contact time, solution pH, temperature, and initial concentration. A detailed investigation of the film before and after the adsorption of Cr (VI) using different characterization techniques is investigated in detail. The kinetic studies and adsorption isotherms are studied, and a suitable mechanism has been proposed for Cr (VI) removal. The synthesized films possess potential advantages like cost-effectiveness, eco-friendly nature, reusability, and higher removal efficiency towards the removal of Cr (VI) from an aqueous solution. 2023 Elsevier Ltd -
Supreme court dialogue classification using machine learning models
Legal classification models help lawyers identify the relevant documents required for a study. In this study, the focus is on sentence level classification. To be more precise, the work undertaken focuses on a conversation in the supreme court between the justice and other correspondents. In the study, both the nae Bayes classifier and logistic regression are used to classify conversations at the sentence level. The performance is measured with the help of the area under the curve score. The study found that the model that was trained on a specific case yielded better results than a model that was trained on a larger number of conversations. Case specificity is found to be more crucial in gaining better results from the classifier. 2023 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved. -
Facile synthesis of Mn-Ni bimetal organic framework decorated with amine as an electrode for a high-performance supercapacitor
In the recent years, the whole world is looking for better energy storage devices. Supercapacitors are among the mostpromising high-capacity energy storage devices. Manganese-based material has gained more importance among transition metals due to its cost, easy fabrication, and wide potential applications. Here, we report the synthesis of a novel MOF using metal centers, dicarboxylate ligand, and aminoterephthalic acid as a co-ligand {Mn-Ni-NH2(h2fipbb)}MOF. The synthesized material has a unique hierarchical morphology consisting of manganese and nickel connected with NH2 through h2fipbb ligand linkage, which is highly efficient for the permeation of the electrolyte and electron transfer. The {Mn-Ni-NH2(h2fipbb)}MOF shows an excellent specific capacitance of 711.60 F g?1 using 2M KOH at a current density of 1 A g?1. The two electrode system material exhibitsa high-power and energy density of 743.99Wkg?1 and 20.49 Wh kg?1, respectively. From the above results, the synthesized {Mn-Ni-NH2(h2fipbb)}MOF can be considered a promising material for electrochemical energy storageapplications. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. -
Gender gap in travel behaviour and public opinion on proposed policy measures: Evidence from India
Employing primary survey data collected from Jaipur city in India, this work attempts to evaluate inconsistencies in travel behaviour based on gender. It also intends to discuss the public opinion on a few proposed policy changes which can aid in bridging the established gender gap. Stratified random sampling approach is used to gather data on travel pattern measures and socioeconomic attributes. Descriptive statistics complemented with bivariate probit model and seemingly unrelated bivariate probit model is applied on the data acquired. The obtained results confirm the existence of a gender gap in all observed measures of travel behaviour. Compared to men, women travel shorter distances, use more of non-motorised modes of transport, have lower frequency of travelling, and travel majorly for purposes other than work. Results of the study also highlight how a majority of the respondents are in favour of policy changes aimed at narrowing the observed gender disparities. The analysis demands infrastructural development of non-motorised transportation and public transportation in the city in such a way which is both efficient and secured, so as to neither obstruct the objective of empowerment nor of sustainability. 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. -
Analytical study of BrinkmanBard convection in a bidisperse porous medium: Linear and weakly nonlinear study
Linear and weakly nonlinear stability analyses of BrinkmanBard convection of a Newtonian fluid saturating a bidisperse porous medium (BDPM) are made. Local-thermal-non-equilibrium (LTNE) is assumed between the fluid and the porous spheres (micro-pores) that make up the macro porous medium. Two coupled linear momentum equations are considered one each for the macro- and micro-pores. Results of mono-disperse porous medium (MDPM) with solid spheres are recovered as a limiting case of the present study. Further, in the case of both types of porous media considered the results of DarcyBard and BrinkmanBard convection are extracted under suitable limiting procedures. To keep the work analytical, we reduce the intractable hexa-modal Lorenz model with four quadratic nonlinearities into the tractable mono-modal StuartLandau equation (SLE) with cubic and quintic nonlinearities. Subcritical instability is discounted in the study thereby suggesting that cubic SLE and cubicquintic SLE both expound similar results qualitatively. The concept of a BDPM is shown to be meaningful only when the pores are not large, and when they are very small, then the MDPM assumption applies. Similar observation can be made when the ratio of permeabilities is large. The presence of micro-pores does not alter the size of the convective cell significantly at the onset. The present study reiterates the findings of several earlier works. 2023 Elsevier Ltd -
Next-Generation Connectivity in A Heterogenous Railway World
Global System for Mobile communication - Railway (GSM-R) is widely used for operational communications between train and signaler. However, there is a need to define a successor that addresses: obsolescence, radio spectrum demand and the enabling of a range of emerging digital applications such as radio-based signaling and Automatic Train Control (ATC). Therefore, the International Union of Railways (UIC) started the initiative to develop the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS). This article describes an Adaptable Communication System (ACS) that is being developed jointly by industry and railway operators as a possible successor covering all types of railways and all aspects of the FRMCS. A pragmatic approach is suggested that considers diverse railway settings and makes use of various radio access technologies. Countries, geographical regions and infrastructure managers differ concerning available radio technologies, but use of a suitable ACS could pave the way towards innovation in the railway sector. For this adaptive concept we discuss several network models and enhancements including satellite communications (SatCom), Software-Defined Networking (SDN) integration and antenna systems that support multiple bearers in one. For SatCom a software defined radio (SDR) prototype using random access is presented that is able to fulfill the requirements of ETCS. We found that SDN can be used for dynamically changing the access technology for critical and non-critical railway use cases. Furthermore, we present an antenna prototype that can be used for 5G, GSM, WLAN and LTE in parallel which saves limited mounting surface on the train. 1979-2012 IEEE. -
Development and psychometric validation of the three dimensional grit scale
This manuscript reports the development and validation of the three-dimensional Grit Scale (3-D Grit Scale). The psychometric measure developed has three factors, Perseverance-Commitment (PC), Interest-Passion (IP), and Goal-directed Resilience (GR) through a series of five studies; study 1 (n = 409) for item analysis, study 2 (n = 334) for exploratory factor analysis, study 3 (n = 514) for confirmatory factor analysis and study 4 (n = 214) and 5 (n = 107) to assess the validity. The sample included students and working professionals aged between 18 and 25, residing in different parts of India. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the scale excellently fits in the three-correlated factor model and the two-level hierarchical model indexing grit as a total of three first-order factors. The final 17-item 3-D Grit Scale showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbachs ? = 0.86), and split-half reliability (Spearman-brown = 0.80, Guttman = 0.80). Validation studies showed that the scores of the 3-D Grit Scale were moderately correlated with (a) 12 item grit scale (Duckworth et al., 2007) and the brief resilience scale (smith et al., 2008), indicating good concurrent and convergent validities (b) conscientiousness revealing that both the constructs are mutually exclusive. 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. -
Rupturing Terracotta: Entangled Exchanges of the Hand and the Machine in South India
Through an examination of changing methods for making and using terracotta tile and brick this article explores the complex hybridity and productive tensions that emerged in the nineteenth century between indigenous and colonial systems of architecture and construction in South India. Outlining a general shift from handmade to mechanized processes, it further argues that a decolonial reading may provide a fruitful new approach to comprehending architectural history on the subcontinent. The article brings to the forefront how the indigenous-colonial encounter caused a rupture in the making of buildings that complicated the language and processes of architecture and construction in India forever. 2023, International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE). All rights reserved. -
Computational and experimental investigation on biological and photophysical properties of high yielded novel aryl-substituted pyrazolone analogue
A series of new aryl-substituted pyrazolone derivatives 5(a-h) were synthesised via the Baylis-Hillman acetate reaction with pyrazolones and tested for antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties in vitro. Among the tested molecules 5d and 5e show good in vitro antifungal and antibacterial activities due to the presence of fluorine, which enhances the absorption rate by increasing lipid solubility and improves the pharmacological activity. It is also evident from the results obtained from structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. Further, the photophysical properties of synthesized compounds were theoretically estimated using the ab-intio technique. The ground state optimization and HOMOLUMO energy levels are calculated using the DFT-B3LYP-6-311 basis set. Using the theoretically estimated HOMOLUMO value, global chemical reactivity descriptor parameters are estimated, and the result shows that compounds 5d and 5e have a higher electronegative and electrophilicity index than other molecules. Overall results suggest that, fluorine substituted pyrazolone derivatives show good photophysical, SAR, and biological properties. 2022 Elsevier B.V. -
Evaluation of potential larvicidal and pupicidal activity of Cassia fistula L. synthesized silver nanoparticles against Aedes aegypti
Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) are fatal and are spread primarily by Aedes aegypti. Control measures against vector causing disease have still not been well documented. The fatality of these diseases has alarmed a need for the development of promising methods to control A. aegypti. Nanotechnology offers the utilization of nanosized particles to target specific disease causing vectors such as mosquitoes. In the present study, an attempt was designed to synthesize silver nanoparticles from Cassia fistula leaf extract and to test its efficacy in vector control. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were sized in the range of 59-62 nm. The silver nanoparticles were tested for their capability in larvicidal and pupicidal activity against all the larval stages and pupal stages of A. aegypti. The LC50 values demonstrated the lethal effect of the nano material against all the stages of A. aegypti. The study draws attention towards the usage of plant parts in nano product synthesis that can act as a potential insecticide. 2023, Indian journals. All rights reserved. -
How Does Perceived Risk and Trust Affect Mobile Banking Adoption? Empirical Evidence from India
The emergence of high-speed internet (5G) services and the demonetization of the Indian currency by the Government of India in the year 2016 served as catalysts for the growth of banking services, such as internet/mobile banking. The main objective of the study was to investigate the role of perceived financial cost, perceived risk, and trust in the adoption of mobile banking services by users. The study extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to explain the adoption of mobile banking services by young Indian customers. The data from 253 users of age between 1830 years were collected through a survey questionnaire and were analyzed using structural equation modeling with Amos 22.0. The results revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and perceived financial cost exhibited a significant positive influence on behavioral intentions. However, the facilitating conditions were found to exert no effect on actual use. In addition, the results demonstrate that both perceived risk and perceived trust moderate the relationship between behavioral intention and the actual use of mobile banking. The results of the study provide some novel insights into how perceived risk and perceived trust shape the interplay between behavioral intention and the actual use of mobile banking services. The inferences drawn from the study may enhance the understanding of the transformation of behavioral intention into the adoption and actual use of mobile banking services. 2023 by the authors. -
Multi-dynamics and emission tailored fluoroperovskite-based down-conversion phosphors for enhancing the current density and stability of the perovskite solar cells
State-of-the-art and innovative research is being intensively employed on perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to expand their frontiers further. This study is a successful attempt to drive the limit of photocurrent density (Jsc) beyond conventional PSCs (which typically utilize the visible spectrum alone) through a nonlinear optical phenomenon called down-conversion (DC). The use of DC luminescence to harness the UV region from the solar spectrum is explored by utilizing Eu3+ activated RbCaF3, a fluoroperovskite-based phosphor material. It is observed that PSCs, which used RbCaF3:Eu3+ incorporated TiO2 electron transport layer (ETL), enhanced their Jsc and UV stability compared to those with pristine TiO2-oriented ETL. Such improvement in the aforementioned devices is due to the result of converting high-energy UV photons to effectively absorbable low-energy visible photons for perovskite absorbers. Overall, the DC-aided PSC offered a substantial Jsc of 23.54 mA cm?2 (9.2% superior to the conventional PSC) and boosted its power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 11.2% to 13.3%. It is evident that DC-based PSCs show a much better shelf-life when compared to conventional PSCs. This unique approach for boosting the Jsc with enhanced stability can be utilized for the potential applications of PSCs. 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry. -
Getting Back to Work: Cognitive-Communicative Predictors for Work Re-entry Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Return to work following a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is affected by deficits across the cognitive, psycho-social and physical domains. The specific role of cognitive -communicative abilities influencing work re-entry is understudied. This study aimed at identifying the cognitive-communicative predictors for work re-entry following TBI. Thirty patients with TBI employed pre morbidly were categorized into two groups- 14 employed and 16 unemployed post TBI. Those having sustained mild, moderate or severe head injury and in the post injury period of 648months were recruited and majority belonged to skilled/ professional type of premorbid occupational status. They underwent a detailed assessment of cognition, language and communication using NIMHANS Neuropsychology Battery, Indian adapted versions of Western Aphasia Battery and La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ) respectively. Patients employed post TBI had better Aphasia Quotient (AQ) and better performance on all the cognitive domains and few domains of LCQ than those who remained unemployed. On step-wise Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), injury severity and AQ could significantly differentiate between the two groups with an overall accuracy of 80%. Severity of head injury is a significant predictor for employability post TBI and evaluation of language along with cognitive abilities is crucial for patients with TBI for work re-entry. The study highlights the importance of a multi-disciplinary team in the assessment and management of cognitive-communication impairments following a TBI. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature India Private Limited.