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Novel task assignment policies using enhanced hyper-heuristic approach in cloud
Cloud computing plays a vital role in all fields of todays business. The processor sharing server farm is one of the most used server farms in the cloud environment. The key challenge for the mentioned server farms is to provide an optimal scheduling policy to process the computational jobs in the cloud. Many scheduling policies were introduced and deployed by the existing approaches to build an optimal cloud environment. The existing approaches of the heuristic algorithms such as meta-heuristic and hyper-heuristic approaches were the most frequently used scheduling algorithms for the past years. These approaches work well only in the limited types of tasks and resources in a processor sharing server farms in the cloud environment. In the proposed system, novel task assignment policies have been proposed by enhancing the hyper-heuristic approach for the type low task and high resource in the cloud environment. The results of the proposed approach are compared with the existing approaches and the performance evaluation of the proposed approach is also done. As a result, the proposed enhanced hyper-heuristic approach performs well for processor sharing server farms in the cloud environment. Copyright 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. -
Effect of heavy metals on germination, biochemical, antioxidant and withanolide content in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal., commonly referred to as Ashwagandha, is a medicinal plant from the solanaceae family with a wide range of pharmacological properties. W. somnifera is a rich source of withanolides, such as withanolide A, withanolide B, withanolide D, withaferin A and many others which are attributed for a large number of pharmacological activities. In the present study, the impact of heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) has been assessed on the growth, biochemical parameters, antioxidant activity and withanolide A and withaferin A content of W. somnifera. The seeds of W. somnifera were germinated in cocopeat and treated with different concentrations of Cd (20-200 ppm), Hg (10-100 ppm) and Pb (200-2000 ppm) for 21 days. There have been substantial differences between the heavy metal-treated plants and the control plants with the lowest germination of 20% observed in the plants treated with 2000 ppm Pb. The selected metals inhibited vegetative growth with lowest length of 3.07cm and lowest biomass of 0.74g in 180 ppm Cd and 200 ppm Cd treated plants respectively. With the addition of heavy metals, biochemical parameters like protein, carbohydrate, chlorophyll, total phenol, flavonoid and proline content varied significantly and showed metal tolerance by exhibiting antioxidant activity at lower concentrations. The metal accumulation occurred in a dose-dependent manner with highest Cd accumulation of 14.30mg kg?1, Hg accumulation of 42.45mg kg?1, and Pb accumulation of 217.46mg kg?1 of dry biomass of the plants. The withanolide content increased up to a specific metal concentration and decreased with a further increase in heavy metal concentration. The seeds treated with 1200 ppm of Pb showed the highest withanolide A content of 1.7mg g?1 dry weight (DW), and the seeds treated with 80 ppm of Cd showed the highest withaferin A content of 3.2mg g?1 DW. 2023 Horizon e-Publishing Group. All rights reserved. -
DETERMINANTS OF CREDIT RISK: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM INDIAN COMMERCIAL BANKS
Credit risk is a significant factor affecting the financial stability of banks. Keeping the credit risk under control is essential to maintain a banks cash flow. This paper examines the various profitability, microeconomic and macroeconomic indicators that affect a banks credit risk. The study uses the dataset of 31 banks from 2012 to 2021 and employs a panel data modelling approach to account for any variations in risk-taking behavior. The results revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between return on equity and credit risk when nonperforming loans proxy credit risk. This finding was consistent across fixed effect, random effect, and pooled OLS methods, at 1 percent significance (P value < 0.00), indicating that the extent of credit risk decreases as profitability increases. It was further found that bank age and ownership type positively affect a banks credit risk, while factors such as bank size and operational efficiency negatively affect credit risk when nonperforming loans proxy credit risk. Further, macroeconomic variables showed that gross domestic product is positively associated with credit risk, while inflation negatively affects credit risk. Overall, the findings of this paper demonstrated that credit risk is affected by both micro and macroeconomic factors. The paper also addresses significant policy implications as it helps various stakeholders to examine the determinants of credit risk, make credit decisions, and ultimately lower their credit risk. Tisa Maria Antony, Suresh G., 2023. -
Transfer Learning-Based Osteoporosis Classification Using Simple Radiographs
Osteoporosis is a condition that affects the entire skeletal system, resulting in a decreased density of bone mass and the weakening of bone tissues micro-architecture. This leads to weaker bones that are more susceptible to fractures. Detecting and measuring bone mineral density has always been a critical area of focus for researchers in the diagnosis of bone diseases such as osteoporosis. However, existing algorithms used for osteoporosis diagnosis encounter challenges in obtaining accurate results due to X-ray image noise and variations in bone shapes, especially in low-contrast conditions. Therefore, the development of efficient algorithms that can mitigate these challenges and improve the accuracy of osteoporosis diagnosis is essential. In this research paper, a comparative analysis was conducted Assessing the accuracy and efficiency of the latest deep learning CNN model, such as VGG16, VGG19, DenseNet121, Resnet50, and InceptionV3 in detecting to Classify Normal and Osteoporosis cases. The study employed 830 X-ray images of the Spine, Hand, Leg, Knee, and Hip, comprising Normal (420) and Osteoporosis (410) cases. Various performance metrics were utilized to evaluate each model. The findings indicate that DenseNet121 exhibited superior performance with an accuracy rate of 93.4% Achieving an error rate of 0.07 and a validation loss of only 0.57 compared with other models considered in this study. 2023, International journal of online and biomedical engineering. All Rights Reserved. -
BUSINESS RESPONSES TOWARDS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC; [RESPOSTAS DAS EMPRESAS EM RELAO RESPONSABILIDADE SOCIAL CORPORATIVA E METAS DE DESENVOLVIMENTO SUSTENTEL DURANTE A PANDEMIA DE COVID-19]
Objective: In India, incorporating structural transformation in corporate social responsibility for achieving sustainable development goals in the Covid-19 Pandemic has become a priority. Therefore, the present article aims to review the corporate social responsibility activities conducted by Nine Indian companies (two public sector organizations and seven private sector organizations) towards attaining Sustainable Development Goals in times of global pandemic. To explore CSR activities performed by the Indian companies (both public and private) in recent times of crisis of covid-19. To assess the impact of Covid-19 on the economic, social, and technological environment of Indian Companies in recent times. Method: For our research, we chose India since it was one of the earliest and worst-hit countries during the recent pandemic. Even though huge Asian corporations are a minority, It is a good fit for our study goal for various reasons. Less and medium-sized businesses, on the other hand, have a far smaller influence on society, Due to their prominence in the press, clients or consumers are more likely to provide feedback if they are proactive. As a second point, major companies have greater resources (e.g., human and financial) to spend on reporting and distributing social and environmental information. The existing study applied bibliometric analysis in the exploratory research. The data collection done through secondary sources in which articles extracted with the use of PRISMA flowchart. Result: The study's findings state that most selected Indian Companies spend Rupees 50-1000 crores as corporate social responsibility activities and contribute to the Pradhan Mantri Relief Fund as a business response to face challenges in times of pandemic. Moreover, private companies spend more on CSR activities than public companies in India. The study provides suggestions to the government to make the corporate social responsibility activities compulsory for all the profitable companies so that country can maintain a corporate pool of contingent funds that can utilize to meet such times of critical circumstances. Conclusion: Companies are taking steps to ensure the safety and protection of their personnel. This has been reflected in corporate social responsibility initiatives as well. Corporate social responsibility efforts must include pushing for and facilitating access to health insurance programmes and other equity indicators as a result. 2023 The Author(s). -
Cholesterol reduction and heavy metal assimilation characteristics of Pediococcus pentosaceus strains isolated from pickle and moor-kuzhambu
Aims: Consumption of fermented foods are known to provide various health benefits. The present study was aimed to isolate novel potent probiotic strains from the homemade fermented Indian recipe Moor Kuzhambu and Pickle and its characterization to elucidate the efficacy of isolate in cholesterol and heavy metal reduction. Methodology and results: Cultures isolated from Pickle (CK2) and Moor Kuzhambu (CK3) were identified as different strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus using the 16S rDNA sequence-based bacterial identification method. The study analysed the survival of probiotic strains under the influence of various chemical and natural stimulants. The isolated strains exhibited tolerance to gastric juice and were able to exhibit a broad range of tolerance to varying temperatures, pH, NaCl, solvent, phenol, trypsin and artificial gastric juice. Microencapsulation studies were conducted using alginate and chitosan to increase the shelf life of the isolated probiotic. Preliminary analysis regarding cell surface studies such as autoaggregation, co-aggregations and cell surface hydrophobicity determined the ability of the strains to aggregate on to intestinal cell surface and manifest competitive pathogen displacement. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Remarkable biofilm reduction of 48% to 80% was observed in the probiotic-supplemented samples. Similarly, a reduction of 80% to 85% free cholesterol was noted in cholesterol assimilation assays and heavy metal (Cu+, Pb+, Zn+ and Fe+) assimilation ability was observed. Further studies are required to characterize the nature of the secretory products and their mode of action in the survival and immune enhancement in animal models. 2023, Malaysian Journal of Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. -
Examining the Prevalence and Impact of Physical Violence from a Psychological Perspective
Physical violence within marriages are pervasive issues that affect individuals globally, including in India. This essay examines the prevalence and impact of physical and sensual violence in India from a psychological perspective. The underreporting and stigmatization of these forms of violence pose significant challenges in understanding their true extent. Factors such as power imbalances, gender inequality, and cultural norms contribute to their perpetuation. The psychological consequences experienced by survivors include trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, emotional distress, sexual dysfunction, substance abuse, and self-harm. Additionally, the cycle of violence and revictimization further compounds the psychological impact. Addressing this issue requires legal reforms, raising awareness, promoting education, challenging cultural norms, providing support services, and ensuring accessible mental health support. By addressing the cultural, legal, and psychological dimensions, it is possible to create a society that is free from physical violence and supports survivors in their journey towards healing and empowerment. The objective of this study is to enhance comprehension of the issue of physical violence in India by examining its prevalence and impact. The findings of this research endeavour to facilitate the development of efficacious strategies and interventions to combat this widespread problem in the nation. 2023, Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities. All Rights Reserved. -
End-to-End Encryption in Resource-Constrained IoT Device
Internet of Things (IoT) technologies will interconnect with a wide range of network devices, regardless of their local network and resource capacities. Ensuring the security, communication, and privacy protection of end-users is a major concern in IoT development. Secure communication is a significant requirement for various applications, especially when communication devices have limited resources. The emergence of IoT also necessitates the use of low-power devices that interconnect with each other for essential processing. These devices are expected to handle large amounts of monitoring and control data while having limited capabilities and resources. The algorithm used for secure encryption should protect vulnerable devices. Conventional encryption methods such as RSA or AES are computationally expensive and require large amounts of memory, which can adversely affect device performance. Simplistic encryption techniques are easily compromised. To address these challenges, an effective and secure lightweight cryptographic process is proposed for computer devices. This process utilizes a symmetrical encryption key block, incorporating a custom proxy network (SP) and a modified Feistel architecture. Security analysis and performance evaluation results demonstrate that the proposed protocol is secure and energy-efficient. The symmetric key encryption scheme is based on sequences in the Feistel cipher, with multiple rounds and sub-keys generated using principles derived from genetic algorithms. This proposed algorithm minimizes processing cycles while providing sufficient security. 2013 IEEE. -
A proposed framework for an appropriate governance system to develop smart cities in India
The Government of India has undertaken a novel step towards building new smart cities as well as transforming some of its existing cities into smart cities. However, tension relating to the governance of smart cities has emerged. Therefore, a mixed-methods approach was used based on a perception survey, case studies, and discussions with stakeholders and experts, to examine the current governance challenges in transforming existing cities into smart cities, and to explore various perspectives to propose a framework for an appropriate governance system for developing smart cities in India. The findings suggested that the current executive-led governance system, with special-purpose vehicles (SPVs) under the control of the state governments as the promoters of smart city development, might not lead to the smart governance system envisaged but, rather, add confusion and conflict, and undermine the constitutionally mandated, legislative-led urban local bodies. The argument in this article is for a people-centric, balanced governance approach with strengthened urban local bodies, enabled by advanced digital technology and the constructive participation of different social solidarities, in which the SPVs would act as the intellectual and executive wing of the urban local bodies. 2023 Regional Studies Association. -
Corporate diversification and firms financial performance: an empirical evidence from Indian IT sector
The aim of this research paper is to provide empirical evidence on the effect of geographic and segment diversification on the financial performance of the Indian IT sector. The study was done on 12 listed IT firms representing 93% market share on BSE/NSE. Standard econometric regression analysis on panel data was carried out to find the stated relationship. The results of the regression analysis revealed that international/geographic diversification impacted strongly on IT firms profitability whereas product/segment diversification had no significant impact on the firms profitability. This study also proves the existence of demand for Indian IT sector in other countries. These results could be useful in decision making for top managers of IT companies as they advocate the need for diversification (specialisation) and growth in size and also provide encouragement to small-scale Indian IT companies to undertake international diversification activities with confidence. Copyright 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. -
REIT: A Regulation Framework to Educate and Engage Investors, Improves Trust Ability, Creative Thinking and Transparency
Purpose: This study focuses to understand the Investor?s perception about REITs, REIT provides all the solution to the worries of investors and provide a frame work to educate and engage investors, improve their trust and build transparency. So that they can change their perception that how this underutilised instrument can gain popularity in country as it does in other leading economies. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study's sample design is convenience sampling, and the research design is descriptive. The sample size for this study is 41 and the sample frame is all types of investors in Country. A systematic questionnaire will be used to gather the main source of data. Utilising statistical methods, the data gathered by the questionnaire will be examined. Findings: The results of the study indicate that there is a positive perception amongst the investors in Country regarding REITs, however the study found that the performance of REITs in Country has been promising, with consistent growth in the past few years, and it is expected to continue in the future. Practical Implications: The study's conclusions can help investors, financial institutions, and governments better understand REITs and their expansion in Country. This study may also aid in educating Countryn investors about REITs. Social Implications: This study can have a significant impact on the Countryn economy as with more awareness in the field of REITs, small scale investors or people with low capital can invest in Countryn Real estate through REITs and help in growth of real estate sector and can be a key role in the growth of the real estate sector. Originality/Value: This study is original and valuable as it sheds light on the Countryn investors? perception about REITs. By highlighting the elements that affect investors' perceptions of Countryn REITs, it also adds to the body of current material. 2023, Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities. All Rights Reserved. -
A primary study on the degradation of low-density polyethylene treated with select oxidizing agents and starch
Polyethylene has become an integral part of our contemporary lives. The neoteric versatile nature of polyethylene is used in constructing various applications. Out of the plastic waste discarded, 60% of the plastic waste enters landfills. The polyethylene discarded in the soil and water on exposure to the environment forms macroplastics (>2.5 cm), mesoplastics (5 mm-2.5 cm) and microplastics (<5 mm). Microplastics in the water and soil are observed to have lethal and ecotoxicological effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms. They enter the food chain and permeate into the food that one eats. In order to address this impending concern, the present study aimed to treat plastics to form a degradable, safe and earthy material. The dissolved polyethylene was treated with starch and was made to react with oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid and acetic acid to lower its inert ability to withstand its degradation. The effect of starch and oxidizing agents on dissolved low density polyethylene was subsequently analysed. The analysis of treated polyethylene showed a decrease in its crystallinity percentage by 6.19 and an increase in its functional groups on reaction with solvent trichloroethylene made to react with starch and oxidizing agents. In the present research, tests were conducted to obtain the various methods that can be utilized to reverse the inert ability of polyethylene. The prevailing recycling model that uses antioxidation techniques is counterproductive since it was found that such techniques appeared to make the polyethylene more resistant to further degradation. In this study, the polyethylene was dissolved in the solvents, such as xylene and trichloroethylene, to make the polyethylene more susceptible to reactants and hence a viable model for treating polyethylene. : Author (s). Publishing rights @ ANSF. -
Effects of Performance and Target Pressure on the Psychological Well-Being of Corporate Employees
The main objective of this study is to analyze the work stress on the performance of the employees effectively and to analyze the effect of work stress on the well-being of the employees. The influence of psychological well-being and the capability to tackle workload in the company environment. The main objectives are better job performance which helps in achieving higher productivity. Individual objectives and the organizational objectives of the company assists in the overall performance and gross achievement of the organization. The significant well-being of the overall performance of the employee, their influence, and the management of stress of the performance of the employees. This analysis showcases the impact of work stress on the growth of the employees, which effects performance and significant growth to employee development. 2023, Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities. All Rights Reserved. -
A survey of blockchain: concepts, applications and challenges
With the development of Bitcoin, organisations, be it businesses or institutions, are centring on leveraging Bitcoins blockchain technology to non-monetary based applications to improve efficiency of the activities. Having various benefits like anonymity, decentralised, audibility etc. Blockchain technology can be vastly implemented in various sectors other than financial too. This paper gives an overview the blockchain technology. It briefs about various technical concepts used in the blockchain, its types and where it can be used. It also discusses some proposed applications of the technology and tools or frameworks that can be used to develop such. It also presents the limitations of the technology. Copyright 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. -
Augmented Reality: New Future of Social Media Influencer Marketing
The advent of social media as a marketing tool has transformed how businesses connect and share information about their brands with their consumers. Amplified consumer engagement has created novel relationships between consumers and companies. Peoples reliance on seeking information from other online users and reviews has increased, and this is where social media influencers play an important role in shaping consumers opinions. Augmented reality will revolutionize the influencer marketing environment due to its ability to engage consumers. This research involved an online survey with questions established on a 7-point Likert scale. Later, exploratory factor analysis was used to summarize data better to understand associations between dependent and independent variables. Later principal component analysis was espoused for the extraction process. Varimax rotation congregated 39 items into various factors. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test was administered to justify the adequacy of the sample. The findings suggest that augmented reality moderates user engagement and is the future of influencer marketing. 2023 MDI. -
Linking Metacognition, Workplace Cognitive Competencies and Performance: An Integrative Review-Based Conceptual Framework
A key driver of workplace cognitive competencies is metacognition which has been shown to impact performance among nurses, teachers and firefighters, however, it is scarcely studied among managerial employees. The research investigating this relationship is also scattered across multiple domains limiting its utility for researchers and practitioners. This paper, therefore, presents an integrative review of the existing empirical literature from the Web of Science and Scopus database to trace the linkages of metacognition, workplace cognitive competencies and performance at work. The identified linkages are then formulated into a conceptual framework clarifying how various workplace cognitive competencies and performance may be linked to metacognition. The findings indicate linkages between metacognition and various workplace cognitive competencies such as problem-solving, decision-making, innovation, creativity and knowledge acquisition. The present research also establishes the link of metacognition and cognitive competencies with learning, individual and firm performance. The review paves way for metacognition to be considered as a distinct construct in the workplace, identifies gaps and provides direction for future research. Copyright 2022 The Author(s). -
Comparative study of phytoremediation of chromium contaminated soil by Amaranthus viridis in the presence of different chelating agents
Chromium is a harmful heavy metal to the environment due to the toxicity induced by it to plants and other living organisms. High concentration of Cr in soil poses severe toxicological problems ecosystem. Phytoremediation using different plants is an economical and environment-friendly method for removing Cr from soil. The addition of chelating agents augments the phytoex-traction using plants.The present study aimed to augment the Cr phytoremediation capacity of Amaranthus virdis, a predomi-nant plant species in the Cr-contaminated open dumpsites of Bangalore.. Phytoextraction of Cr by Amaranthus viridis was studied in the presence of different chelating agents viz. ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), citric acid (CA), growth pro-moting hormone-indoleacetic acid (IAA) and NPK fertiliser. A. viridis grown under different concentrations (5, 10 and 20 mg/Kg) of Cr were treated with 0.5g EDTA/Kg of soil, 0.5g CA/Kg of soil, 1mg IAA/Kg of soil and NPK (125 mg of nitrogen, 45 mg of phosphorous and 156 mg of potassium per Kg of soil). Results indicated that CA, at 10 mg/kg Cr supply, induced the highest uptake (up to 29.25 g/plant). Furthermore, the study revealed that CA amendment induced maximum Cr uptake in A. viridis at all levels of Cr supply as compared to other amendments. This was due to the increased solubility of Cr in the presence of citric acid and the amelioration of oxidative stress due to Cr to plants by citric acid. This study inferred that the non-hyperaccumulating plant, A. virdis could be used as a phytoremediator for Cr in the presence of citric acid in the places where it is grown abundantly. Author (s). Publishing rights @ ANSF. -
Human cognition and emotional response towards visual environmental features in an urban built context: a systematic review on perception-based studies
Urban built environments can influence human cognitive and emotional comforts. Human comfort in the built environment has challenged architects and urban designers while developing comfortable spaces. Emerging cognitive-architectural studies in architecture engineering inform new directions for improvising human spatial design practices. This paper intends to present a systematic meta-analysis of selected empirical studies to identify the gaps and future scope of research in human cognition and built environments. However, the scope of the literature review is to concentrate on experiments that consider physiological reading in different environments, such as nature and architectural spaces in cognitive study areas. The peer-reviewed literature published from 2010 to 2021 illustrates that only limited design parameters are considered in these experiments. The study analyses the extensive consideration of experimental medium, simulation categories, and participant factors like gender and age in this research domain. The survey recommends considering more visual features, contextual conditions, and ethnic groups. 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. -
Stress mindset as a mediator between self-efficacy and coping styles
Stress mindset is a lens through which one views stress and its consequences as beneficial or harmful for them. It is a distinct variable that differs from frequency, amount, and intensity of stress. The literature review indicated that stress mindset could mediate the link between self-efficacy and coping style, which was previously not tested. Hence, the study aimed; 1) to examine the relationship between self-efficacy, stress mindset, and coping style; 2) to investigate the influence of stress mindset and self-efficacy on coping styles; 3) to find whether stress mindset mediates the association between self-efficacy and coping styles. The study employed a correlational research design, whereby through multi-phase sampling recruited 727 participants (male = 300, female = 427, mean age = 16.26) studying in 11th and 12th standard. The researchers administered validated stress mindset, self-efficacy, and coping style and performed a multiple correlational and regression analysis. They computed mediation analysis using Hayes model 4 in Process Macro. The finding indicated that the association between self-efficacy and self-controlling coping style is mediated by stress mindset. Furthermore, it mediated the connection between some sub-domains of self-efficacy and coping styles. The data were evident to infer that individual with high self-efficacy can interpret social stressors as beneficial and improve their coping skills. 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.