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Evaluation of Social Media Marketing Literature in the Tourism Industry Using PRISMA
Social media is an effective communication and information-sharing tool for tourism enterprises and organisations. Tourism marketing shall tap the growing popularity of social media and internet users, embracing a technological shift by optimising the potential of social media. This research study evaluates the academic journal articles related to social media in the tourism industry published on EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar academic databases from 2005 to 2022. The article adopts a content analysis approach to review the articles and to evaluate the present state of knowledge of social media marketing in academic literature. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) is used for reporting and screening the review papers. The articles were coded and categorised under six major themes: Marketing, Destination experience/image, Tourism recovery, Smart tourism, Communication and Promotion. The research analysis has identified two major areas: (a) Travellers/tourists Perspective which has a focus on their behavioural attitude and (b) Tourism Agencies Perspective which has a functional approach. Based on the review of the literature to give direction for further research, an improvised version of the definition for the term social media with the inclusion of more specific terms in it has been proposed with theoretical and practical implications. 2023 MICA-The School of Ideas. -
Stand-Up: The Comic Public Sphere in India
Comic performances might take a subversive form, especially in an autocratic regime where used as an instrument of expression by the oppressed, the silenced, the unseen, and the unheard, thereby offering a political critique of the state, economy, and systemic failures. This article discusses the ability of contemporary Indian stand-up comic performances to undermine hegemony. The article begins with a theoretical evaluation of the comic in the public sphere, moves to a brief survey of South Asian forms of comic performances, and links these concerns to performances by two contemporary comedy collectives, Aisi Taisi Democracy (ATD) and East India Comedy (EIC). The article then concludes with the possible complications of ATD and EICs contribution to a robust public sphere. Copyright 2023 (Rashi Bhargava and Samarth Singhal). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd). Available at http://ijoc.org. -
Effectiveness of internet-delivered dialectical behavior therapy skills training on executive functions among college students with borderline personality traits: a non-randomized controlled trial
Given the enormous influence of emotions on cognitive processes, individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) suffer from marked deficits in higher-order thinking abilities. Considering the prevalence of BPD among college students, this study aimed to investigate the changes in perceived executive functioning among college students with traits/presence of BPD undergoing internet-delivered dialectical behavior therapy skills training (DBT-ST) that included the mindfulness and emotion regulation modules. An internet-delivered version of DBT-ST was opted for, as technological advancements in the present era promote the use of online platforms for psychotherapy. This non-randomized controlled trial consisted of 36 college students with traits/presence of BPD. The intervention group attended 13 sessions of DBT-ST, and the control group attended 13 sessions of behavioral activation. Perceived executive functioning was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions for Adults. A 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the treatment impact on the outcome variable. Results showed that the DBT-ST group had larger improvements in their abilities to initiate, plan, and organize current and future-oriented task demands and to organize their everyday environment, compared to the control group. Both, the DBT-ST group and the control group demonstrated improvements in emotional control, working memory, and their abilities to shift and task monitor. Findings suggest that the internet-delivered version of DBT-ST, consisting of the mindfulness and emotion regulation modules, can foster notable improvements in executive functions among college students with traits/presence of BPD. Improved executive functioning is one of the several multifaceted outcomes of dialectical behavior therapy. Copyright: the Author(s), 2023. -
Value Ingredients Private Limited: engaging farmers for achieving triple bottom line
Learning outcomes: After completion of this case study, students will be able to apply the triple bottom line concept to a spice manufacturing and export company (RBT 3); to examine the options before Value Ingredients Private Limited (VIPL), namely, to cultivate spices in the traditional way versus adopting integrated pest management (IPM) to cater to international markets (RBT 4); to analyse the returns for an IPM farmer vis-vis a conventional farmer, and to compare the returns therein (RBT 4); and to evaluate the ways and means of engaging farmers to change their way of cultivation (RBT 5) Case overview/synopsis: The COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness about the benefits of spices and buoyed its demand worldwide, which presented an opportunity to VIPL, a spice manufacturing company based in Chennai, to expand its business. However, the export markets demanded residue-free spices grown with little or no use of pesticides. Traditional farmers supplying spices to VIPL were accustomed to spraying pesticides whenever there was a pest attack. This case study discussed the options that the protagonist Mr Sijil Karim, managing director and CEO of VIPL, had, who wanted to onboard farmers for pesticide-free cultivation. The options before him were either to continue traditional farming or adopt IPM. This case study discussed the merits, demerits and challenges of each of these options. The triple bottom line concept discussed three Ps people, planet and prosperity for this case as follows: The farmers and the consumers constituted the people in the spice supply chain. The farmers supplying organic, export-worthy spices under the guidance of VIPL gained 30% more than regular spice farmers, which were accrued through cost savings and better prices. The consumers benefitted from the pesticide-free, organic spices through accrued health gains. The manufacture of organic, pesticide-free spices helped the planet, as the process did not release hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere. VIPL manufactured pesticide-free spice with a focus on prosperity. Complexity academic level: The case study can be introduced in a course on sustainability while discussing the triple bottom line concept. This case study showed how a for-profit company grew without losing sight of the planet or its focus on people. This case is best suited for students who have preliminary knowledge of supply chain management, operations and sustainability. Therefore, it is suited for sophomore-year students of MBA. Supplementary materials: Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code: CSS 11: Strategy. 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited. -
CONFIDENTIAL TRAINING AND INFERENCE USING SECURE MULTI-PARTY COMPUTATION ON VERTICALLY PARTITIONED DATASET
Digitalization across all spheres of life has given rise to issues like data ownership and privacy. Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning (PPML), an active area of research, aims to preserve privacy for machine learning (ML) stakeholders like data owners, ML model owners, and inference users. The Paper, CoTraIn-VPD, proposes private ML inference and training of models for vertically partitioned datasets with Secure Multi-Party Computation (SPMC) and Differential Privacy (DP) techniques. The proposed approach addresses complications linked with the privacy of various ML stakeholders dealing with vertically portioned datasets. This technique is implemented in Python using open-source libraries such as SyMPC (SMPC functions), PyDP (DP aggregations), and CrypTen (secure and private training). The paper uses information privacy measures, including mutual information and KL-Divergence, across different privacy budgets to empirically demonstrate privacy preservation with high ML accuracy and minimal performance cost. 2023 SCPE. -
Student Perceptions and Experiences in Mathematics Classrooms: A Thematic Analysis
Classroom experiences contribute to learners' perceptions and interest in a particular subject. The present study aims to understand students' perception of mathematics learning by exploring their classroom experiences. The study sample consisted of 17 eighth-grade students in English-speaking urban schools in South India. The data was collected through a semi-structured interview schedule. The thematic analysis presents five themes student personal factors, teacher-related, content-related, classroom environment and utility value. Teachers characteristics and mathematics content were the essential factors contributing to students' perceptions and experiences. The study highlights the utility value of the content to help students see the application of the subject in real-world situations. Understanding students' perception of mathematics learning would help to choose appropriate content and teaching methods in the curriculum. The study highlights the need for educational and psychological interventions, focusing on student-teacher engagement and curriculum development to enhance mathematics learning. (2023). All Rights Reserved. -
Optimal Allocation of Renewable Sources with Battery and Capacitors in Radial Feeders for Reliable Power Supply Using Pathfinder Algorithm
Allocating renewable energy systems (RESs) in an electrical distribution system (EDS) is crucial to achieving various objectives. However, their intermittency presents several challenges. In this connection, an efficient meta-heuristic pathfinder algorithm (PFA) is employed to determine the optimal location and size of photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine (WT) systems, along with energy storage systems (ESS) and capacitor banks (CB) for both grid and islanding modes of operations. An objective function was formulated for loss reduction, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and voltage profile improvement. The simulation results for the IEEE 33-bus EDS system are shown for two cases: grid-connected and islanding. The computational effectiveness of the PFA was compared with that reported in the literature. The PFA results showed an outstanding ability to resolve difficult optimisation problems. In addition, the optimal size of the RES when the network operates in the grid-connected mode can significantly improve the performance. The real power losses and GHG emissions were reduced by 48.49 % and 67.75% with PV systems and the other, respectively, whereas WT systems they are reduced to 69.68 % and 67.85 %, respectively. However, a combination of ESS, CB, and PV/WT can render the EDN sustainable for the islanding mode of operations. The Author(s). -
Photocatalytic and antioxidant potential of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized using Artemisia stelleriana leaf extracts
The antioxidant and photocatalytic activity of Artemisia stelleriana-based silver nanoparticles (AS-AgNPs) was investigated in this study. Microscopic, X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic studies were used to characterize the synthesized AS-AgNPs. UVvisible spectrophotometric examination revealed a peak at 425 nm. The phytocompounds involved in the transformation of silver ions into AS-AgNPs were confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The crystalline nature of the AS-AgNPs was verified using the X-ray powder diffraction technique. Spherical-shaped AS-AgNPs with a size of 22.7 nm were proved using field emission scanning electron microscopy. The AS-AgNPs were top-notch photocatalysts for the degradation of Reactive Blue-222A (RB-222A) and Reactive Blue-220 (RB-220) dyes. After 80 min of UV light exposure, AS-AgNPs degraded RB-222A and RB-220 dyes by 94.6 and 90.8%, respectively. The phytotoxicity investigation in Vigna radiata and Arte-mia salina indicated that the hazardous dye can be degraded into innocuous chemicals by AS-AgNPs. The results suggest that AS-AgNPs are an excellent antioxidant and photocatalyst for the degradation of synthetic dyes. 2023 The Authors. -
Women Entrepreneurs: A Study of Psychological Well-being and Empowerment in Indian Social Context
Entrepreneurship is differentiated by decision-making ability, competition, economic gains, autonomy, and socioeconomic settings that provide a foundation for an individual to strive and run a venture in a highly competitive environment. In the present context, this study examines the relationship between empowerment and the psychological well-being of women entrepreneurs. This study attempted to analyze the various aspects of psychological well-being responsible for women's entrepreneurship. Exploratory design and regression analysis were used for the study. The study found that only purpose in life, personal growth and positive societal relations are significant psychological factors that influence women empowerment amongst women entrepreneurs in India. The results confirm a significant relationship between empowerment and the psychological well-being of women entrepreneurs in India. This research is apt in the present time as entrepreneurial ventures are considered to be the most critical factors that would help both urban and rural populations through the creation of jobs, rescue them from unemployment and poverty, and thereby have an impact on the development of skills, self-esteem, and self-sufficiency of women. 2023, Institute of Economic Sciences. All rights reserved. -
Robotic dining delight unravelling the key factors driving customer satisfaction in service robot restaurants using PLS-SEM and ML
In the past few years there has been a remarkable surge in demand for robot service restaurants. However, as both the technology and the concept of such restaurants are relatively new, there is a limited understanding of how consumers would react to this new change in the service industry. This study focuses on the key factors influencing customer satisfaction and their intention to repeat the experience by using two staged hybrid PLS-SEM and Machine Learning approaches. The finding confirms that perceived enjoyment, speed, and novelty influence customer satisfaction, whereas perceived usefulness has no influence. Additionally, the study uncovers that customer satisfaction and trust positively mediate the relationship and establish the link with repeat experience. The machine learning models (Artificial Neural Network, Support Vector Machines, Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbors, Elastic Net) predict the intention to repeat the experience of the service robot with an overall model fit of around 57%. We also discussed several new and useful theoretical and practical implications for enhancing the customer experience during the visit to the restaurants. 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. -
From the local to the global: the journey of Suguna Foods
Learning outcomes: On completion of this case study, students will be able to understand collaboration and synergy between farmers and organisations through value creation, like fundraising, based on the comprehension of the resource-based theory; understand the overview and concept of the value chain and supply chain management in the agribusiness to reduce costs of inventories; understand the concept of segmentation and positioning to increase revenue for organisations by leveraging existing resources human and financial; and understand the branding strategy to create a sustainable competitive advantage for Suguna Foods. Case overview/synopsis: Suguna was started by two brothers, B. Soundararajan and G.B. Sundararajan, to help other farmers. Suguna, with just 200 broilers in 1984, grew to be the number 1 poultry company across India. Soundararajan was a pioneer and innovator who started contract farming in India in 1991. This model helped both the farmers and the company to became successful. The farmers always struggled to pay the cost of feed and other materials, as credit was not readily and easily available from financial institutions. Suguna helped farmers by providing feed, medicines, etc., free of cost in return for the good rearing of chickens. Because of the success of this venture, they decided to continue with it. Today, Suguna is a successful company that sells chicken, eggs and processed meat. They modernised the retail chain to supply consumers with fresh, healthy and hygienic meat. Sugunas vision was to Energize rural India by helping farmers succeed. They helped over 40,000 farmers from 15,000+ villages in 18+ Indian states. Although the growth helped both farmers and Suguna, the increased cost of raw materials for Suguna and increased input costs/power costs for farmers had to be tackled on a war footing so that both could have good income despite the increased inflation. Moreover, the retail price of live chicken was more or less stagnant in the past five years, especially after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Complexity academic level: This case can be used as the basis for a 90-min class discussion. This case study is suitable for use in an master of business administration course module or in an executive education program on developing an understanding of value creation in the business model in a rural market and also how the supply chain works. This case study can also be used to teach pricing, segmentation in marketing and supply chain perspectives and decision-making skills. Supplementary materials: Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code: CSS8: Marketing. 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited. -
Thermal fatigue characteristics of 8Y2O3-ZrO2, La2Zr2O7, La2(Zr0.7Ce0.3)2O7 and La2Ce2O7 thermal barrier coatings in duplex, multilayer functionally graded and multilayer configurations
La2Zr2O7, La2(Zr0.7Ce0.3)2O7 and La2Ce2O7 pyrochlore plasma sprayable powders were synthesized and plasma spray coated on steel plates with NiCrAlY bond coat. Three different configurations were used: duplex, multilayer functionally graded and multilayer, with different combinations of commercial 8% yttria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) and NiCrAlY (bond coat) layers. The prepared coatings were compared with the standard duplex 8YSZ thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with a goal to study their suitability to serve as TBCs. TBCs layer thicknesses and interfaces were studied via SEM on polished cross section metallographic samples removed from the spray coated TBCs. Thermal fatigue resistance was evaluated by directing a gas flame on the ceramic surface at 1200 and 1400 C, followed by its rapid withdrawal and forced cooling by pedestal fan. The maximum number of thermal shock cycles the coatings could withstand before failure was determined. The multilayered TBCs with lanthanum cerate composition stacked with 8YSZ exhibited the superior thermal fatigue resistance characteristics compared to all other studied TBCs. The findings were correlated with the crystalline phases of the ceramic coatings, obtained via XRD, and discussed in the light of existing literature. 2023 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology. All rights reserved. -
Mamaearth: from a mothers dilemma to a multi-crore brand
Learning outcomes: The case study has several objectives: to gauge the evaluation of the direct-to-consumer industry in the economy of India, to analyse the competition of the brands, to ascertain the evolution of smaller direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands on the purchasing capacity of consumers, to analyse challenges in branding in Tier 2 and 3 cities and to evaluate the strategic branding decisions of Mamaearth. Case overview/synopsis: During her pregnancy, Ghazal Alagh and her husband Varun Alagh, the co-founders of Mamaearth, were looking for some good and natural products for their babys skincare. However, she could not find products that were 100% safe. Hence, as a concerned mother, she started using a few hands-on home remedies for her baby, which were 100% organic, and then the idea clicked to her to start a baby care brand named Mamaearth, which later also included personal care products. The company started as a DTC/internet-first brand in 2016, which only used to sell products online without any intermediaries when it was still trying to make its way in the market and was aware of the stiff competition by giants such as Hindustan Unilever and Proctor & Gamble, who were ruling the market for decades. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the market saw a shift in consumer buying patterns. There was greater use of e-commerce touch points for shopping, as various digital platforms such as the official site of products, social media and mobile platforms were used by consumers during the pandemic, leading to digitalization in buying and digitalization of consumer shopping journey. These technology platforms were expected to play a substantial role in reaching and creating consumer awareness, transaction and retention post-COVID according to reports by Deloitte 2020. Moreover, such a shift in behaviour amidst the COVID-19 pandemic shot up sales of this DTC brand and made itself the big shot it is today, where they were looking to get into an initial public offering in just seven years of its launch. They re-evaluated their strategy, which helped them become the biggest brand in no time. Complexity academic level: This case study is suitable for Doctor of Philosophy students. Supplementary material: Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code: CSS 8: Marketing. 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited. -
Local post-hoc interpretable machine learning model for prediction of dementia in young adults
Dementia is still the prevailing brain disease with late diagnosis. There is a large increase in dementia disease among young adults. The major reason is over indulgence of young adults on social media resulting in denial of disease and delayed clinical diagnosis. Dementia is preventable and curable if diagnosed at an early stage, however, no attempts are being made to mitigate dementia in young adults. Today artificial intelligence (AI) based advanced technology with real-life consultations in clinical or remote setups are proved beneficial and is used to detect dementia. Most AI-based test is dependent on computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) tools and uses non-invasive imaging technology such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data for disease diagnosis. In this paper, a local post-hoc interpretable machine learning (LPIML) model for prediction of dementia in young adults is proposed. The performance parameters are computed and compared based on accuracy, specificity, precision, F1 score and recall. The proposed work yields 98.87% training accuracy on original images and 99.31% training accuracy on morphologically enhanced images. The performance results are intrinsic and intuitive in learning the prediction results of individual case. The adoption of the proposed work will accelerate the diagnosis process in the era of digital healthcare. 2023 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved. -
SCN1A Genetic Alterations and Oxidative Stress in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy Patients: A Causative Analysis in Refractory Cases
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) have found it be associated with drug resistance in epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of SCN1A gene polymorphism in developing drug resistance in idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) patients, along with increased oxidative stress. The study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India. We recruited 100 patients diagnosed with IGE patients, grouped as drug-resistant and drug-responsive, and then further compared the SCN1A SNP rs10167228 A*/T analysis between the two groups. We utilized the PCR-RFLP technique to investigate the association between polymorphisms and refractory epilepsy. Serum HMGB1 levels were estimated using the ELISA technique to analyze oxidative stress in both groups. rs10167228 A*/T polymorphism genotypes AT and AA genotypes are significantly associated with an increased risk of developing drug resistance. Serum HMGB1, IL-1?, and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in drug-resistant cases, compared to the drug-responsive group. The association of SCN1A gene polymorphisms, in conjunction with raised oxidative stress, may be predictive of the development of drug-resistant epilepsy. The AT and AA genotypes of rs10167228 may pose a risk factor for developing drug-resistant epilepsy. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Association of Clinical Biochemists of India. -
Adapting Employee Engagement Strategies Amid Crisis: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Crises are unpredictable events that have the potential to strike at any moment, causing significant disruptions to work, daily routines, and the normal course of life. The COVID-19 Pandemic served as a facilitator for transformative changes in the way we work, shifting to an era of remote and flexible work arrangements across industries. This crisis underlined the importance of employee engagement and organizational culture-building in navigating unforeseen situations. As organizations prepare for the future, it becomes crucial to anticipate and adapt to potential crises that may arise. The effect of the pandemic varied from industry to industry. When the technology industry worked towards creating a virtual workspace, the production industry strived to continue production without disruption. However, irrespective of the industry, HR teams across the board were dedicated to identifying and addressing the challenges posed by the crisis. They have worked tirelessly to ensure employee engagement remains a priority. This qualitative study explores the challenges encountered by HR teams during the pandemic and explores the strategies and policies they adopted to foster employee engagement. The data was collected through an in-depth interview with 39 HR Practitioners from different industries. The significant challenges included the need to cultivate a sense of community, navigate muddled up HR processes, sustain productivity amid disruptions, and prioritize employee wellness. To provide a comprehensive analysis, this study examined industry-specific approaches, employing within-case analysis to understand key strategies in communication, rewards and recognition, employee benefits, wellness initiatives, and fostering an enjoyable virtual workplace. This study offers a forward-looking perspective and serves as a guide for organizations aiming to thrive in times of uncertainty, ensuring that employee engagement remains a strategic priority regardless of the crisis at hand. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. -
Effect of heavy metals on the pigmentation and photosynthetic capability in Jacobaea maritima (L.) Pelser & Meijden
Photosynthesis is a fundamental process in plants that enables them to produce their own food. However, this process can be influenced by multiple factors including external factors such as sunlight, nutrients availability and gas concentrations. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of heavy metal stress on the plant Jacobaea maritima (L.) Pelser & Meijden. Three different heavy metals, namely cadmium, chromium, and lead, were applied to the plants at five concentrations ranging from 50-250 ppm (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250). The growth of the plants was observed, and several parameters including net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (E), leaf stomatal conductance (C), and the photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) were measured. The results revealed that the chlorophyll content was higher in the Cr150 concentration (5.470.4). The chlorophyll values for Pb-100 (9.40.35) and Pb-250 (9.80.26) were in close proximity to each other. The Cd-100 concentration showed the highest chlorophyll content. The net photosynthetic rate was least affected in Pb-150 (30.980.75), while Cr-100 (4.050.09) exhibited the greatest impact. Transpiration rate increased slightly in plants treated with Pb, but significantly decreased in Cd-treated plants. The Cr-50 concentration (0.190.02) showed the lowest transpiration rate. Leaf stomatal conductance was reduced significantly in all treated plants, with Cr-100 showing the least variation (2298.251.85). The photosynthetic active radiation capability was reduced in all treated plants, with Pb-treated plants exhibiting nominal reduction and Cd- and Cr-treated plants experiencing substantial reduction. Statistical analysis confirmed significant variations in the measured parameters following heavy metal treatment. 2023 The Author(s) -
Determinants of Book Built IPO underpricingdifferential issue size and market momentum approach revisited
Pricing of an Initial public offering (IPO) is a complex phenomenon. Price anomalies are commonly observed in IPO markets, especially in emerging markets. Investors perceived underpricing creates undue market momentum during the offer period with an asymmetric effect across different issue sizes. This study examines the determinants of Book Built IPOs underpricing by considering a sample of 180 Book Built IPOs that went public in India between 2011 and 2020. The determinants were verified for differential issue size public offers. Listing day performance was measured using Listing Day-Absolute Return (LD-AR) and Listing Day-Market Adjusted Return (LD-MAR) models. Further, the data obtained was tested for the explanatory capabilities of firm-specific and market momentum factors for underpricing using OLS models. Concerning the differential issue size, the study found a direct relationship between the issue size and underpricing. Dominant underpricing was observed in the case of moderate to large issue size with a linear progressive return, confirming that there was over-optimism on the part of investors. The studys results also revealed that momentum-specific factors have a significant influence along with firm-specific factors such as firm size, cash flows, a subscription rate of QIBs and RIIs in the listing day return, and underpricing. 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. -
Basic human values of Indian management professionals: a demographic profile
This study tries to check the degree of basic human values among management professionals in India with considerable cultural and linguistic differences and how it varies across the different demographic influences. We have checked the impact of demographic variables like gender, age, education, type of organisation, place of residence, and work experience on basic human values. Hypotheses testing were conducted using MANOVA. It was inferred that the perception regarding the degree of basic human values differs among different management professionals based on their age, gender, education, type of organisation, and place of residence. Surprisingly, the work experience of the person does not have a significant influence on basic human values. Consequently, we imply that the demographics of an individual carve their basic human values. The findings and inferences of the proposed study will be of great importance to policymakers and recruiting managers to fetch the right candidate. Copyright 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. -
Novel biocompatible zinc oxide nanoparticle synthesis using Quassia indica leaf extract and evaluation of its photocatalytic, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic potentials
Prognostic research points to the necessity and relevance of revamping polluted environments. The toxic effect of textile dyes released into waterbodies can be reduced by the degradation process and alternate methods in nanotechnology are used to lessen the gravity of the situation. Compared with chemical and physical NP synthesis, plant extract-based nanoparticle synthesis is an environmentally friendly alternative method, and the use of waste leaves in this process is an added advantage. Quassia indica zinc oxide nanoparticles (QI-ZnO NPs) were synthesised in the current work employing a simple and cost-effective process using Q. indica leaf extract. The surface plasmon peak was visible in the UV-Vis absorption spectrum of the decreased reaction mixture at 346 nm. The average crystallite size of the QI-ZnO NPs was found to be 16.66 nm. The QI-ZnO NPs were found to have a stable zeta potential of ?28.4 mV. The surface morphology of the optimised QI-ZnO NPs was observed to be hexagonal using field emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Under UV light irradiation, the photocatalytic degradation of industrial textile dyes Reactive Blue-220, Reactive Yellow-145, Reactive Red-120, and Reactive Blue-222 showed degradation efficiency of 8090%. Antibacterial and antifungal activity was assessed using well diffusion on gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms. When administered to the A549 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines, QI-ZnO NPs displayed significant anticancer activities. Limited studies in the area of plant extract-based nanoparticle synthesis mark the novelty of this attempt and this trailblazing and pioneering approach using non-toxic QI-ZnO NPs synthesised through green synthesis is futuristic and sustainable helping in effective wastewater treatment. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.