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Capacitive Behaviour of Imidazole Azo Modified Carbon Nanotubes/Polypyrrole Composite in Aqueous Electrolytes
Here, we reported imidazole azo (Im) modified carbon nanotubes (CNT) grafted polypyrrole (PPy) via the chemical oxidation method. The synthesized hybrid material has shown a unique structure consisting of carbon nanotubes with a conductive network via polypyrrole. The presence of Im derivatives has helped CNTs to enhance their electrochemical performances. The as synthesized composite was characterized using various techniques like FT-IR, XRD, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy. The morphological studies were performed using SEM technique which also confirmed the nature of the composite. The electrochemical performances of the electrode material were investigated using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in various electrolytes. The best performance of the electrode material was observed in 1 M H2SO4 with a specific capacitance of 305 F g?1 at a current density of 1 A g?1. The electrode material also showed a coulombic efficiency of 96% even after 5000 cycles. 2023 The Electrochemical Society (ECS). Published on behalf of ECS by IOP Publishing Limited. -
Adsorptive removal studies of Rhodamine B by PEG capped polyaniline/TiO2/CuO composite
The availability of pure and fresh water is the prime need of human beings for survival. The fact that the rate of water pollution is alarmingly increasing is making scientists think of ways to minimize the pollution effects. Among the numerous techniques, adsorption is the most cost-effective and easy method for removing pollutants from water bodies. In this study, a ternary PEG capped polyaniline/TiO2/CuO composite with excellent surface area is synthesized, and its adsorption studies carried out using Rhodamine B, one of the strongest organic pollutants. The characterization studies of the prepared composites have been done using XRD, FT-IR, HR-TEM, DLS, zeta potential, BET, and XPS analyses. Isotherm, kinetics, and thermodynamic studies of adsorption have been done for the prepared composite to evaluate its adsorptive efficiency. The adsorption studies of RhB dye using the synthesized composite followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The kinetics study for the adsorption process indicates that pseudo second order kinetics fits best with the adsorption process taking place on the PANI/TiO2/CuO composite. The thermodynamic studies reveal the spontaneity of the process and the exothermic behavior at lower temperatures. The results prove the efficiency of the synthesized adsorbent towards environmental remediation studies. 2023 Elsevier Ltd -
Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach for Estimating the Nexus between Net Asset Value of Mutual Fund and Economic Determinants in India
India has seen a phenomenal growth in cumulative mutual fund investment from Rs 7.93 trillion in 2012 to Rs 40.38 trillion in 2022, which is more than a five-fold increase since last 10 years. Retail investors are now realizing the power of savings and Systematic Investment Plans (SIP) to build long term wealth. A financial literacy wave which is sweeping across India has projected mutual funds as a significant contributor and beneficiary of this phenomenon. The evolving economic landscape of India provides investors with excellent opportunities to capitalize on these fluctuations through systematic investment in safe investment vehicles like mutual funds. The market associated with mutual funds is always subjected to economic risks. The erratic fluctuations in macroeconomic variables can largely explain the Volatility in Net Asset Value (NAV) of equity oriented mutual fund schemes. With this background, this paper examines the impact of select macroeconomic variables on mutual funds performance in India. To analyse this, monthly observations of select macroeconomic variables, average NAV of large cap, mid cap, and small cap funds collected for a period of 10 years starting from January 2013 to November 2022. Descriptive statistics is used to probe the characteristics of the variable. In addition, correlation and ordinary least square method is applied to check the existing relationship and impact level of macroeconomic factors on NAV of select schemes. Lastly, short and long run relationship is analysed using Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL). 2023, ASERS Publishing House. All rights reserved. -
A Selective Excited-State Intramolecular-Proton-Transfer (ESIPT) Sensor for Copper(II) Based on Chelation-Enhanced Quenching and Off-On Detection of Amino Acids
We report the synthesis of 2-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazole-2-yl)phenol (TPI-9) as an interesting fluorescent molecule displaying Excited-State Intramolecular-Proton-Transfer (ESIPT) with stokes shift of 120 nm. Phenolic compounds with the ability to form intramolecular hydrogen bonds and subsequent proton transfer are known as ESIPT fluorophores. Proton accepting ability can increase significantly by tailoring electron-donating groups. With the assistance of an environment-friendly organocatalyst, 10-camphor sulfonic acid (10-CSA), TPI-9 was synthesized to introduce substituents with electron-donating abilities to develop an efficient ESIPT mechanism. Factors influencing the emission, such as solvent, pH, and metal ions, are investigated. Quenching of fluorescence by Cu2+ through chelation enhancement quenching effect with a high selectivity allowed the establishment of a Cu2+ sensor with an LoD of 0.57 ppm and a ratiometric estimation with an LoD of 0.73 ppm. Metal binding (2 : 1) stoichiometry and quenching constant (0.0072 mol?1s?1) are calculated from Job's and Stern-Volmer plots. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are in accordance with the experimental results. Competitive replacement of TPI-9 by amino acids restores ESIPT, consequently, the fluorescence. Thus, an off-on fluorescence sensor for amino acid estimation is developed under 1 minute incubation. A linear relationship between amino acid concentration and fluorescence intensity is in 0-20 ?g/mL range, and the LoD is less than 2.2 ?g/mL. 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH. -
Effects of Rough Boundaries on RayleighBenard Convection in Nanofluids
A linear stability analysis of RayleighBenard convection in a Newtonian nanofluid is carried out using most general boundary conditions. A single-phase description of nanofluids is adopted in the study. The nanofluids used for the study are wateralumina and watercopper nanofluids in order to analyze how a choice between them can be made. The values of thermophysical quantities of nanofluids are calculated using the mixture theory and phenomenological-laws. The paper applies the Maclaurin series in solving the boundary-eigenvalue-problem through a simple and innovative approach. A single-term Galerkin technique is adopted to obtain the guess value of the critical Rayleigh number and the wave number. Further, improved values of the Rayleigh number and the wave number are obtained using the solution of a system of three linear-algebraic equations. A detailed discussion is made on the effect of rough-boundaries and Robin-boundary conditions for temperature on the onset of convection. A comparative study between the results of two nanofluids is made and the destabilizing effect of nanoparticles in the Newtonian carrier-fluid on the onset of convection is studied. Copyright 2023 by ASME. -
IOT-BASED cyber security identification model through machine learning technique
Manual vulnerability evaluation tools produce erroneous data and lead to difficult analytical thinking. Such security concerns are exacerbated by the variety, imperfection, and redundancies of modern security repositories. These problems were common traits of producers and public vulnerability disclosures, which make it more difficult to identify security flaws through direct analysis through the Internet of Things (IoT). Recent breakthroughs in Machine Learning (ML) methods promise new solutions to each of these infamous diversification and asymmetric information problems throughout the constantly increasing vulnerability reporting databases. Due to their varied methodologies, those procedures themselves display varying levels of performance. The authors provide a method for cognitive cybersecurity that enhances human cognitive capacity in two ways. To create trustworthy data sets, initially reconcile competing vulnerability reports and then pre-process advanced embedded indicators. This proposed methodology's full potential has yet to be fulfilled, both in terms of its execution and its significance for security evaluation in application software. The study shows that the recommended mental security methodology works better when addressing the above inadequacies and the constraints of variation among cybersecurity alert mechanisms. Intriguing trade-offs are presented by the experimental analysis of our program, in particular the ensemble method that detects tendencies of computational security defects on data sources. 2023 The Authors -
Empowered learning in school: A scoping review
A high degree of motivation, a sense of commitment, self-efficacy and the ability to make the right choices are the characteristics of empowered learners. With education being seen as preparation for life, educators are increasingly pressured to develop curriculum and pedagogy that assist learners to become empowered. Based on the theoretical framework developed by Arksey and OMalley, the present study reviewed 16 empowered learning intervention studies at the school level published between the years 1995 and 2021 as well as provides an extensive summary of empowered learning enhancing interventions conducted in schools. This study highlights the concept of empowered learning, features and scope of interventions directed towards empowered learning of students at schools and the role of empowered learning in schools. Notwithstanding varied intervention results, the findings of this study indicate that empowered learning interventions produce highly motivated students with a sense of commitment and self-efficacy. This review also identifies the need for more pure experimental studies and a commonly accepted theory on empowered learning as a single concept. 2023, Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved. -
Impediments of product recovery in circular supply chains: Implications for sustainable development
Product recovery has fascinated the concentration of organizations and is prominent among industry practitioners and researchers due to improved environmental concerns, social awareness, and economic benefits. Circular supply chain (CSC) compounds the concept of product recovery in global supply chain management to present a sustainable perspective. Therefore, this study aims to determine impediments of product recovery and CSC toward sustainable production and consumption in the background of manufacturing organizations. This study determines potential impediments from literature and in consultation with experts. Further, a fuzzy VIKOR approach is practiced to prioritize the impediments of product recovery and CSC. Then, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to verify the robustness of the framework attained. The results from the study reflect that lack of collaboration from supply chain performers, lack of tax policies for facilitating CSC models and limited expertise, technology, information on CSC practices are the critical impediments to product recovery in CSCs. The findings of the study could assist industry managers and practitioners in developing procedures and strategies to attain sustainable development. 2022 The Authors. Sustainable Development published by ERP Environment and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. -
Green synthesis, characterization of silver nanoparticles using aqueous leaf extracts of Solanum melongena and in vitro evaluation of antibacterial, pesticidal and anticancer activity in human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines
The present study validated the green synthesis and characterization of AgNPs using the leaf extracts of Solanum melongena (SM-AgNPs). The efficiency of the phytocompounds in the leaf extract in reducing Ag+ to Ag0 ions was studied. The synthesized SM-AgNPs were characterized by spectroscopic methods and standard methods were adopted for the antioxidant activity, HPTLC, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial assays and pesticidal activity as well. The synthesised nanoparticle was measured to be 20.54 nm which was confirmed by the characterization. The total phenolic content was 5.98 0. GAE/g which indicated potent antioxidant activity. HPTLC profile showed thirteen peaks corresponding to the phenolic compounds with Rf values ranging from 0.05 to 0.95. The average particle size and zeta potential was 75.14 nm-19.8 mV respectively. Cytotoxicity assay of the synthesized AgNP's showed viability percentage of 50.23 at 100 mg/mL. Treatment of MDA-MB-231 cell lines with the SM-AgNPs induced early apoptosis in a greater number of cells. The synthesizedAgNPs were effective against the bacterial isolates Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella flexneri, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. High mortality of Bemisiatabaci was observed in the100 g/mL of the SM-AgNPs treated concentrations. The study demonstrated the efficiency of SM-AgNPs against cancer cell lines, microbial isolates and insect pests. 2023 The Author(s) -
Modelling and optimization of Rhodamine B degradation over Bi2WO6Bi2O3 heterojunction using response surface methodology
The Bi2O3/Bi2WO6 heterostructures of various compositions are prepared via the surfactant-assisted solgel method, which exhibits enhanced and synergistic photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) using visible light irradiation. Characterization of these heterostructures has been done using X-ray diffraction, microscopic and spectroscopic methods. The 50% tungstate in bismuth oxide (BWO) nanocomposites having band gap of 2.85eV and an average size of 4080nm shows maximum dye removal up to 87% in 4h compared to pure Bi2O3 and other heterostructures of Bi2O3/Bi2WO6. The reusability studies demonstrate the excellent retention of photocatalytic activity without much loss in activity, implying the stability and efficiency of the prepared catalyst. The degradation of the Rh B dye is modeled mathematically to analyze the interactive effects of the key parameters like the time, amount of catalyst, and dye concentration, and to determine the optimal setting of these parameters to optimize the degradation process using the face-centered Central Composite Design (FC-CCD) of the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) analysis. An accurate full quadratic model has been developed with R2 = 99.41%. The sensitivity of the degradation was evaluated at all levels of the key parameters. At 0.1g of catalyst amount, it was found that the increment of the catalyst amount would be suitable for improved degradation as compared to allowing more time for the degradation. The maximum degradation was obtained for a dye concentration of 5ppm, and 0.1g catalyst for 4h. 2022, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. -
Evaluation of phytoconstituents of Triticum aestivum grass extracts on nutritional attributes, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities against food pathogens with molecular in silico investigation
The plant-based medicine and diet is gaining importance in recent days. The consumption of Triticum aestivum grass in the form of juice and tablets is increasing among common people. The present study elaborates on the nutritional, antioxidant, and antimicrobial potential of a nongenetically modified type of T. aestivum grass, along with the evidence of molecular docking studies. The T. aestivum grass extracts like decoction, aqueous, ethanol, and chloroform were subjected to preliminary phytochemical tests, quantitative estimation, antioxidant analysis, and antimicrobial activity determination. The ethanolic extract that had good antioxidant and antimicrobial potential was subjected to gas columnmass spectroscopy (GCMS) analysis and the compounds identified were docked against the antioxidant and antimicrobial receptors. The decoction and aqueous extracts performed well in preliminary qualitative tests with the presence of most of the phytochemicals tested. The decoction, aqueous, and ethanolic extracts possessed good concentrations of the phytochemicals. The decoction had about 210.839.16 and 154.160.33mg/g of carbohydrates and proteins, respectively, while the aqueous extract had about 10.910.08mg/g of amino acids and the ethanolic extract had about 52.51.4mg/g of phenolic content, which were the highest concentration of the phytochemicals observed among the extracts. Along with phytochemical potential, good antioxidant potential in the DPPH and ABTS by decoction as well as ethanolic extract with nearly 40 and 90% inhibition, respectively, and in FRAP by aqueous extract with maximum OD value. The ethanolic extract exhibited the best inhibition potential against the Staphylococcus aureus about 281mm, Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 202mm, Bacillus cereus at 201mm by the ethanolic extract at 200?g concentration, and Aspergillus fumigatus and A. niger at 150mm by the aqueous extract at 200?g concentration. The GCMS analysis revealed the presence of terpenoids, alkaloids, and phenols, which on docking had highest binding capacity toward the antioxidant and antimicrobial receptors. 2023 The Authors. Food Frontiers published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd and Nanchang University, Northwest University, Jiangsu University, Zhejiang University, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. -
Gandhiji and RSS: The Cultural Grounding of Social Representations
Exploring the cordial relationship and mutual respect between Gandhiji and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), this article critically examines the political rhetoric against the RSS and its implications. As a nationalist cultural organisation, the RSS had been well aligned with most of the social and cultural programmes initiated by Gandhiji. When critics of the RSS like Jawaharlal Nehru were keen on crushing the RSS, the truth-seeking political philosopher Gandhiji applauded its discipline, annihilation of untouchability and the rigorous simplicity. This article demonstrates how the serious charges against the RSS that were brought to the notice of Gandhiji by a section of Congress leaders further cemented the cultural grounding of social representations between the two, instead of making Gandhiji be the stranger of the RSS. 2023 ICHR. -
Stress and resilience in British Indian parents with an autistic child: a comparative study with white British and Indian parents
Purpose: This study aims to examine the levels of stress and resilience in a sample of British Indian parents bringing up a child with autism. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 52 British Indian parents took part in a survey that included measures of stress, resilience, support and child adaptive functioning. Results were compared to a sample of white British (n = 120) and Indian parents (n = 120). Findings: The British Indian parents recorded higher levels of stress and less perceived social support than their white British counterparts. British Indian parents took longer to register concern about their childs development and sought a diagnosis at a later age than the white British group. The delay in concern and diagnosis was similar to that found in the India group. Originality/value: The research suggests that British Indian parents are disadvantaged in social support and mental well-being compared to white British parents and may face similar community pressures to parents bringing up a child in India. 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited. -
Levelling Up Organisational Learning Through Gamification: Based on Evidence from Public Sector Organisations in India
The concept of sustainability brought into focus the need for research into how to measure and achieve sustainable growth. The triple bottom line framework and the resource-based view of the firm suggest the need for organisations to look beyond profits and take into consideration the needs and effectiveness of its workforce. Research suggests that an effective workforce can be achieved through constant learning and development. Organisations have also expressed the need for training techniques that are more effective than the traditional methods. Gamification has been proposed as one such technique, and in the current study, the researchers evaluate the effectiveness of gamification in organisational training. For the purpose of the current study, 120 participants were chosen from public sector organisations in India. This is primarily because the technology-enhanced training effectiveness model (TETEM) suggests that the effectiveness of gamification would depend on the culture of the organisation, and prior research has been based in privately owned firms. The findings are in line with the theory of gamified learning and suggest that participants of the gamified module reported higher levels of learning, reaction and learner motivation. Additionally, learner motivation was found to strengthen the impact of gamification on the learning and reaction. The Author(s) 2022. -
Border Region Railway Development in Sino- Indian Geopolitical Competition
India and China share about 3,488 km long International Boundary, which has three sectors: Western, Middle and Eastern. The Eastern sector comprises two Northeastern states, that is, Arunachal Pradesh measuring 1,124 kms and Sikkim measuring 219 kms, respectively. Due to recent changes in the geopolitical relationship with China, border management and transport infrastructure development have occupied centre stage. In recent years, the Government of India has taken initiatives to develop railway infrastructure in Northeast India. The study will focus on the role of railway transportation in Sino-Indian geopolitical competition. The study is based on secondary data collected from the office of General Manager, Northeast Frontier Railway, the Census of India and reports of Memorandums of Understanding between India and China. The study reveals that railway infrastructure along the border creates geo-psychological pressures on both countries, influencing the divergent geopolitical relationship between India and China. Railway diplomacy is a tool kit of critical geopolitics which reveals the contours of geopolitical competition in borderlands. 2023 Indian Council of World Affairs(ICWA). -
Challenging the Representation of the HumanAnimal Relationship in The Elephant Whisperers
[No abstract available] -
The Impact of Supportive Factors on the Academic Reintegration of Students with Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study
Introduction: Returning to college following a psychiatric illness can be overwhelming for students as academic reintegration is a significant undertaking. Psychological distress can negatively impact a student's performance and levels of academic achievement. A better understandingof the factors that facilitateacademicreintegration would helpmental health professionals, educators, and family members support students more effectively. Methods and Materials: The study followed an explorative research design and utilized a purposivesampling technique. The Institute's(National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, NIMHANS) Ethics Committee evaluated and approved this study, while four (4) mental health experts validated the interview schedule. Theprimary researcher (ASR) audio-recorded, transcribed and coded fourteen (14) in-depth interviews.The study supervisors (AJ and TK) verified this procedure.Themes and sub-themes were derivedfrom the codes,and thenthematic analysis was conducted. Results: Fivesupportive factors (themes and sub-themes) were derived: 1. Family:Educational qualification of the members, Family accommodations (travelling to the city where the student is studying for additional support).Academic assistance, Freedom to select their educational course; 2.Support from friends and peers: Academic support, Emotional support (caregiving,home visits, sharing problems with them), Logistic support (physically accompanying the student to and from class, providing transport); 3.Support from Teachers and Collegeadministration: Additional academic support from teachers, Reasonable classroom accommodations; 4.SupportfromMental health professionals (MHPs):Providing Pharmacological or Psychosocial Interventions, Follow up,andcontinuous guidance (handholding); 5. Individual factors (students' strengths): High degree of motivation or interest in studies, strong academic record, and healthy coping mechanisms. Conclusion: Students with mental illnesses require additional support with academic reintegration. As a result, assisting students in successfully returning to academics is frequently a collaborative effort involving family, peers, mental health professionals, teachers, and college administration. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature India Private Limited. -
Pi-MnO2 decorated poly-3-thienylacetic acid on carbon fiber paper for electrochemical synthesis of 2-formyl-thiophene
Sustainable and environmentally benign synthesis methods have captured researchers' minds in recent times and have contributed a lot towards the green synthesis of organic compounds. This work presents an efficient green method for synthesizing 2-formyl thiophene using a newly designed Pi-MnO2 deposited on poly-3-thienylacetic acid coated Toray carbon fiber paper (PThAA-Pi-MnO2-TCFP) electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA) and bulk electrolysis (BE) techniques were employed for the optimization and synthesis of 2-formyl thiophene and the product obtained was characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) spectroscopy. The efficacy of the developed electrode was examined by different electrochemical and physicochemical studies. It is an intriguing approach for the 4-acetamido-TEMPO (4-ACT) mediated, PThAA-Pi-MnO2-TCFP catalyzed electro-oxidation of thiophene-2-ylmethanol (TM). This method is handy and reasonably practical since the developed electrocatalyst is inexpensive, and the synthesis is environmentally benign. Hence it is a highly efficient method for synthesizing 2-formyl thiophene, a much sought-after starting material in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and cosmetics. 2023 -
UVIT view of NGC 5291: Ongoing star formation in tidal dwarf galaxies at ? 0.35 kpc resolution
NGC 5291, an early-type galaxy surrounded by a giant H I ring, is believed to be formed from collision with another galaxy. Several star forming complexes and tidal dwarf galaxies are distributed along the collisional ring which are sites of star formation in environments where extreme dynamical effects are involved. Dynamical effects can affect the star formation properties and the spatial distribution of star forming complexes along the tidal features. To study and quantify the star formation activity in the main body and in the ring structure of the NGC 5291 system, we use high spatial resolution FUV and NUV imaging observations from the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope onboard AstroSat. A total of 57 star-forming knots are identified to be part of this interacting system out of which 12 are new detections (star forming complexes that lie inside the H I contour) compared to the previous measurements from lower resolution UV imaging. We estimate the attenuation in UV for each of the resolved star-forming knots using the UV spectral slope ?, derived from the FUV - NUV colour. Using the extinction corrected UV fluxes, we derive the star formation rate of the resolved star forming complexes. The extinction corrected total star formation rate of this system is estimated as 1.75 0.04 M? yr-1. The comparison with dwarf galaxy populations (BCD, Sm, and dIm galaxies) in the nearby Universe shows that many of the knots in the NGC 5291 system have SFR values comparable to the SFR of BCD galaxies. 2023 The Author(s). -
Environmentally sustainable zinc oxide nanoparticles for improved hazardous textile dye removal from water bodies
A sustainable, affordable, and cost-effective method was developed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (SB-ZnO-NPs) using leaf extracts of Strobilanthes barbatus. The synthesized SB-ZnO-NPs displayed an absorbance maximum at 359 nm with a band gap of 3.24 eV. The average diameter of the SB-ZnO-NPs, as determined by FESEM analysis, was 84.23 nm. The particles had nearly spherical morphologies. By using FTIR analysis, it was established that functional groups played a part in the formation of SB-ZnO-NPs. Reactive Yellow 86 (RY-86) and Reactive Yellow 145 (RY-145) textile dyes were degraded by SB-ZnO-NPs under the impact of UV irradiation, and the degradation rates were 87.50 and 91.11%, respectively, in 320 min. When dye solutions treated with SB-ZnO-NPs were tested for phytotoxicity, the results showed a sharp decline in the effectiveness of the inhibition compared to dye effluents. The synthesised SB-ZnO-NPs can, therefore, be employed as a substitute potential catalyst for the breakdown of textile colours both before and after release into water bodies. 2023 The Author.