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Fractional operator-based mathematical model for hydrological cycle analysis with machine learning integration
The most important natural resource for maintaining ecosystems, life, and human civilization is water. Climate patterns, hydrological processes, and energy balance are all impacted by the constant movement of water across different parts of the Earths climate system. A new mathematical model is proposed using a fractional order, and this study investigates the four main elements of the hydrological cycle: atmospheric water, rainfall, surface water, and groundwater. The model uses the Caputo fractional operator to account for memory effects and long-term dependencies in water dynamics. A thorough qualitative and quantitative study examines the systems boundedness, stability, existence, and uniqueness. The AdamsBashforthMoulton (ABM) approach is used for numerical simulations, and it shows improved accuracy, stability, and reduced error metrics compared to traditional methods. Furthermore, bifurcation analysis reveals the systems possible behavior. Data-driven parameter estimation and trend forecasting are achieved by integrating Machine Learning (ML) techniques like the random forest regressor to improve predictive capabilities. Visualization tools such as pair plots, box plots, bar plots, and correlation matrix examines the associations between variables. The suggested method provides a strong framework for hydrological cycle modeling, increasing forecasting accuracy for water resource dynamics and climate-driven hydrological changes. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025. -
DarcyForchheimerBrinkman flow of a Newtonian fluid through an enclosure with two straight boundaries and one curved boundary
The study examines the flow and heat transfer of a Newtonian fluid in a porous medium inside an enclosure with two straight boundaries and one curved boundary. This setup is important for heat storage and energy systems. The aim of this study is to solve the Brinkman-Forchheimer (BF) equation in an enclosure with two straight and one curved boundary. The research also looks to perform a thorough heat transfer analysis to improve the understanding of thermal behaviour in porous medium BF flow. Additionally, the study calculates the Nusselt number using a compatibility condition to ensure the results are physically consistent. Finally, it fits the Nusselt number as a function of the shape factor (s) and the Forchheimer number (F). This helps in capturing the trends in convective heat transfer behaviour within the medium.The main assumptions include a steady, fully developed flow in the z-direction with a constant axial pressure gradient -, and zero axial velocity (w = 0) on all boundaries. The domain in three-dimensions is defined in cartesian coordinates (x,y,z), with on the curved boundary,ensuring the spatial constraint of the geometry. The quasi-linearisation method is used to linearise the governing equations, resulting in a system of linear algebraic equations that is subsequently solved using the alternate direction implicit (ADI) method with an accuracy of. The findings show that an increase in the shape factor (s) results in a plug flow behaviour and better heat retention, as in higher temperature profiles and centreline velocities. In contrast, higher Forchheimer numbers causes a drop in both velocity and temperature due to increased flow resistance. But as F goes up, the Nusselt number always increases, meaning heat is better transferred through convection. The study also shows that hot spots and heat islands form inside the enclosure, especially when the shape factor is higher, because the heat builds up more quickly when there is less resistance, which is an essential thing to think about for things like heat storage systems, where it is crucial to have better thermal efficiency. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature India Private Limited 2025. -
Access to clean cooking fuel and discrimination between scheduled and non-scheduled groupsacross urban and rural India
Access to clean cooking fuel constitutes a fundamental element of household well-being and national energy security, particularly for marginalized and socio-economically disadvantaged communities. This paper examines the discrimination in access to clean cooking fuel between Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) and non-SC/ST households in India. Drawing on data from the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) 78th Round (202021) Multiple Indicator Survey, the study seeks to quantify the extent of this discrimination and analyze the underlying factors contributing to disparities in clean fuel access. Empirical evidence suggests that non-SC/ST households have significantly greater access to clean cooking fuel than SC/ST households. This disparity is primarily explained by socio-economic variables such as income, education, gender, region, and employment status. However, the decomposition analysis reveals that a considerable portion, 22 percent, of the gap remains unexplained, indicating persistent discrimination that cannot be attributed solely to observable characteristics. The study recommends strengthening last-mile delivery of LPG in SC/ST-dominated areas and integrating energy access with housing programs like PMAY. It also advocates for targeted subsidies linked to caste and income data to support recurring fuel costs. Additionally, the paper emphasizes the need for infrastructure improvements, such as separate kitchens and durable housing, to enable sustained adoption of clean cooking fuels. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Institute for Social and Economic Change 2025. -
An integrated care model for elderly in home countries: the role of social work and legal services for transnational families
The need for integrated care for the elderly has grown globally due to ageing populations and the increasing prevalence of chronic health conditions. Many elderly individuals, particularly those in transnational families, face challenges in accessing adequate care and support, as their family members may be dispersed across different countries. This study addresses the role of social work and legal services in supporting elderly individuals in their home countries, focusing on transnational families. The integration of social work practices and legal frameworks is crucial in providing effective care for the elderly in these complex family dynamics. The research explores the challenges faced by elderly individuals and their families, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between social work professionals and legal experts. The study proposes an integrated care model that combines these services to enhance the well-being and rights of elderly individuals in home countries, offering insights into how this model can be applied in transnational family settings. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Institute for Social and Economic Change 2026. -
A generic framework for forecasting lake surface area dynamics using level set segmentation and double exponential smoothing
Water has been a crucial element for the sustenance of civilization throughout history and civilizations have sprung up around a body of water in one form or another. It becomes imperative to address the pressing issue of water shortage and the shrinking size of urban water bodies, which is particularly relevant in Indian cities like Bangalore. The effective management and preservation of these invaluable resources depend on the development of accurate and automated tools to monitor them. The proposed framework introduces a novel approach, combining a level set-based segmentation algorithm with double exponential smoothing to monitor water bodies using multispectral satellite images. In-depth review of nine lakes within Bangalore was carried out using a Landsat time series data set spanning 1987 to 2020. The resulting forecasting model, employing a univariate smoothing methodology, showcased exceptional performance metrics. Notably, it yielded an average error of 0.072 and exhibited a robust correlation coefficient of 0.94 when cross-referenced with proven results. The proposed framework holds great potential for practical implementation in the domain of long-term water body analysis, effectively catering to the requirements of administrative and decision-making entities. Moreover, the adaptability of this framework for the incorporation of additional external factors, as well as its potential to analyze seasonal dynamics, offers exciting avenues for further exploration. The dataset of delineated lake images prepared in this study presents an opportunity for the advancement of image-to-image regression networks, enabling the prediction of both area and shape variations for lakes, thereby enhancing predictive accuracy and insights. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025. -
Role of Social Capital, Environment and Crime in Determining Life Satisfaction in India
Gross Domestic Product is a good indicator for examining the economic condition of any country, but it is an inappropriate indicator for evaluating an individual's well-being. This led to our research question: what determines people's life satisfaction or well-being in a diverse country like India? The present study examines the determinants of life satisfaction in India. To conduct this study, we analysed data from five waves of the World Values Survey spanning from 1990 to 2012, in conjunction with air and water pollution data sourced from various reports by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Specifically, the study examines the influence of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) as indicators of air pollution and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) as a measure of water pollution. The impact of the socio-economic variable is as expected, like the positive impact of education, health status, social class, and marital status on life satisfaction. However, one of the paper's main objectives is to examine the effect of social capital, Environmental pollution and incidence of crime on life satisfaction. It has been found that both formal and informal social capital positively affect people's life satisfaction in India. The results show that people who are trustable and sociable are more satisfied than those who are neither. Environmental pollution, such as NO2 and BOD, adversely affects people's satisfaction. The incidence of crime has a significant and negative impact on life satisfaction, particularly among individuals who report higher levels of satisfaction. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Indian Econometric Society 2025. -
Are Indians Willing to Pay for Air Quality? Findings from a Contingent Valuation Study
This paper aims to study individual preferences towards ambient air quality improvements in India, through the willingness to pay (WTP) measure. Contingent valuation method is employed to elicit individual WTP for air quality improvements via closed-end double bound questioning technique. Bivariate probit model is estimated based on the data coming from 539 in-person interviews to find key determinants of WTP. Estimation results suggest that place of residence, education, consciousness regarding air pollution, and household income are the key determinants of individual WTP for air quality improvements. Random probit model estimated based on the same data finds the presence of shifting and anchoring anomalies, leading towards bias in the mean WTP estimation from the Bivariate probit model. After correcting those anomalies, the estimated mean WTP is ?255.69 (or $3.09) per month. This is the first study estimating the bias-corrected WTP for air quality enhancements, covering a vast region of India. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Indian Econometric Society 2026. -
Brahma Nirupan of Kabir: A Search for Ultimate Reality
Kabir Das was a fifteenth-century Indian mystic. Saint Kabir's philosophical tenets were extremely simple. He was known as the guiding spirit of the Bhakti movement. According to Kabir, Braham Nirupan is the ultimate reality called Ni-Akshar, which is only possible through Sar Shabda. Charlotte Vaudeville stated in her book named Kabir that Kabir is a weaver, the best-known and the most revered name in Indian tradition(Vaudeville, 1993). By performing service with full loving devotion, one can achieve Sar Shabda and become a Hansa. The liberated soul is blessed and can enjoy the pleasurable experience of Sar Shabda. The iconoclastic Saint Kabir is a symbol of the syncretic culture of India. Kabir refused to say if he was a Hindu or a Muslim. In today's polarized culture, Kabir's vision and love are desperately needed. Caste and religious divisions have exacerbated the fault line in our society. This paper focuses on the concept of Brahma Nirupan and the philosophy of Kabir Das and how in this materialistic world one can seek the ultimate truth while being a part of this world yet not being attached to it. Indian Council of Philosophical Research 2025. -
Mathematical Modeling of Concrete Fracture Energy of Notched Specimens Using Experimental Evidence
The tensile stiffness of concrete is an important parameter for crack initiation. The microcrack initiation and propagation regulate the stressstrain behavior and the failure mode of concrete. Therefore, fundamental awareness of the fracture mechanism in terms of fracture energy is a requisite to comprehend concrete behavior. There is research consensus that fracture energy alone does not suffice to characterize the ductility/brittleness and also the size dependency of concrete. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the fracture energy and the characteristic length for a realistic assessment of the fracture behavior of concrete. Towards this objective, this study examined the fracture energy of concrete by experimentation, and the fracture energy proposed by various models in the literature. Further, the characteristic length proposed by Hillerborg which depicted both the material influence and the size effect, has been computed. Based on the RILEM50 FM recommendations, 18 specimens with varying grades of concrete and notch depths have been tested and the fracture energy parameters have been evaluated. Also, two regression models with key fracture parameters as variables for two-notch ratios, have been formulated for the concrete fracture energy. The arguments have been supported by experimental evidence. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Shiraz University 2024. -
Hybrid Quantum Network with Snow Geese-Elk Herd Optimization for Smart Load Shedding in Grids with Electric Vehicles and Photovoltaic Systems
The increasing penetration of variable renewable energy and the growth of electric vehicles (EV) have created an urge for more sophisticated load management methods to ensure grid stability. Conventional load shedding (LS) methods are typically not equipped to manage the unpredictability brought about by these modern additions to the grid. This study introduces an innovative smart load-shedding strategy that uses a hybrid optimization model. At its core is a Quantum Neural Network (QNN), which enables intelligent and data-based load prioritization by evaluating factors such as load criticality, energy usage, responsiveness to demand, and operational flexibility. The required LS amount is calculated through a combined use of Snow Geese Optimization (SGO) and the Elk Herd Optimizer (EHO), with specific attention given to the flexibility offered by EVs to address the variability in photovoltaic (PV) power generation. Testing has been performed on the IEEE 33-bus network reveal a notable decrease in total load demand by around 33%, contributing to improved grid stability, with voltage levels staying close to 0.99 p.u. Additionally, the average load across the network buses dropped by roughly 52%. This hybrid approach not only ensures better performance but also achieves quicker convergence compared to existing optimization methods. The proposed intelligent LS method presents an effective strategy for preserving grid stability amid growing integration of renewables and EV by incorporating QNN with SGO and EHO while accounting for EV adaptability. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Shiraz University 2025. -
The intersection of law and wildlife management: A case study on culling of wild boars in Kerala
The inconvenient truth of wildlife co-existence lies in the circumstantial need of species to capitulate to each others will, but how far are we willing to go? Over the decades, the conservative view of eco-centric legislation has legally blanketed the scheduled species from the human acts of hunting, culling, assaulting, and the like. However, as the human population increases, this protected animal population, particularly those undomesticated ones in predator-less areas of the wild, increases exponentially beyond the land-carrying capacity of their habitats. Thus, the soundness of wildlife co-existence has been profoundly disrupted by wild boars (sus scrofa) through incessant encroachments, agricultural and economic damage, human fatalities, etc. Therefore, in light of the concurrent call for the declaration of vermin status of wild boars under the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, the paper aims to ascertain the legal and scientific efficacy of culling wild boars in comparison to the preventive strategies used over the years. This is achievable through a jurisprudential and scientific justification facilitated by the theories of anthropocentrism, eco-centrism, utilitarianism, and categorical imperativeness, alongside the capabilities approach. The research methodology entails a doctrinal approach wherein it contains participative observation, statistics, eco-legal analysis, numerical data, etc. Additionally, in the absence of current data on the wild boar population, an exploratory method has been employed in the study area to form a statistical estimation by speculating the reproductive pattern of wild boars. This evidence depicts the preponderance of understanding the interrelation of multiple disciplines by objectifying the currently understudied damage control methods. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) 2025. -
Wage Collapse and Gender Differences in Earning in India
The study found that the average daily wages almost increased three times between 1983 and 202122 in rural and urban areas of the country. The average wages rose more rapidly for women than men. We have observed that the wage growth of casual workers increased much faster over the years, reflecting less fluctuation than regular workers. However, at the same time, the growth rate of regular workers has collapsed several times, and in the recent period, the collapse was almost complete. From the analysis of Gini coefficient and decomposition, we observed that wage inequality has come down in India between 201112 and 202122, and much of the differences in earnings are explained by within-group factors. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Indian Society of Labour Economics 2026. -
Policies and metrics for schedulers in cloud data-centers using CloudSim simulator
Todays cloud technology consumers must address escalating computing and storage demands for services and applications. However, decision-making on provisioning and scheduling is challenging due to varying workflow demands within Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). This study formulates an optimization problem with multiple objectives to identify optimal policies, employing heuristic metrics through cloud simulation similar to AWS EC2 instances. Experiments involve two task scheduler types, time-shared and space-shared, aimed at minimizing execution time and cost. The study introduces two novel algorithms, SLB and MinMax, for comparison with standard algorithms. It emphasizes the importance of precise quantification of uncertainty in cloud storage allocation and highlights the state-of-the-art policies and metrics achieved through virtualization techniques. The studys novelty lies in simulating both policies at two levels and proposing a novel algorithm for multi-objective optimization while providing cost and time measurements. Contributions include experimenting with various combinations, applying heuristics to entire data center entities, proposing a novel algorithm, and offering cost and time measurements for the optimizations. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023. -
A novel discrete slash family of distributions with application to epidemiology informatics data
This study puts forward a new class of discrete distribution that can be used by the epidemiologists and medical scientists to model data relating to epidemiology informatics. The proposed distribution is superior to traditional discrete modeling alternatives, viz., discrete Weibull and geometric distributions in terms of its model fit and flexibility to handle heavy-tailed dataset. It is a flexible three-parameter discrete distribution, grounded in the slash family and can be considered as a refined extension to the geometric distribution. We explored the diverse properties of this novel distribution thoroughly by evaluating the mathematical properties. The models parameters are estimated using the maximum likelihood estimation method, where the methodology validity is confirmed through an extensive simulation study. Furthermore, the practical utility of the distribution to model epidemiology informatics was examined with the help of eight different datasets representing three different dimensions of the epidemiology informatics, viz., mortality, infection and medication statistics. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024. -
Effect of alkali treated palmyra fibers on strength and durability properties of binary blended concrete
The exponential growth in urban as well as industrial development has led to growing interest in waste management and utilizing industrial byproducts. The palmyra fiber is an abundantly available fiber extracted from the palmyra palm tree whose potential as reinforcing material is less explored. This study investigates the influence of alkali treated palmyra fibers on the strength and durability properties of binary blended concrete with 80% cement and 20% ground granulated blast-furnace slag. The alkali treated palmyra fibers of 50mm length were added in three different proportions of 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% by mass of binder materials to produce M30 grade of concrete. The workability of binary blended concrete was reduced with the addition of alkali treated palmyra fibers. Comprehensive investigations were carried out on both mechanical (compressive, split tensile, and flexural strength) and durability properties (sorptivity, resistance to sulphate and acid attack). Additionally, the performance under impact loading was also evaluated. The results reveal that compressive strength nominally reduced by 312% with the addition of fibers, while tensile strength and flexural strength increased with every increment in fiber content. The inclusion of palmyra fibers considerably increased impact resistance, ranging from 300 to 600% compared to conventional concrete. Also, palmyra fiber reinforced concrete exhibited better resistance to sulphate attack. Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025. -
Conflict and Coexistence of Human Rights: An Exploratory Study with Reference to Intellectual Property Rights
Human rights and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) have developed independently. Human rights are inalienable rights associated with human dignity while IPRs are the rights with the goal of promoting innovations and the interests of select communities to further economic and technological growth. The economic and personal interests of the individual have received prime attention under the international intellectual property law. Economic growth is given priority over human rights in the international criteria for IPRs in global trade. Whereas, it has a significant impact on the implementation of human rights for both individuals and communities, including the rights to adequate food, health, environment, and education. IPRs are gravely at odds with human rights, even though a connection between the two rights can be found in General Comment No. 17 on Article 15(1)(c) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). According to the UDHR, intellectual property is a human right in and of itself, but its enforcement often infringes other human rights. In light of the above perspective, the authors explore the interrelationship between IPRs and human rights and also analyze the evolving IPRs, in different fields of its application, causing adversarial impacts on several other human rights. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025. -
Harnessing MnMoO4 nanoparticles for eco-conscious effluent degradation and catalytic applications
The increasing need for green technology solutions to reduce water pollution and enhance sustainable catalysis has prompted the research for efficient photocatalysts. In this research, a green synthesis method was adopted to synthesize MnMoO4 NPs using solution combustion route followed by calcination. Synthesized MnMoO4 showed superior photocatalytic performance under visible light, with 91% degradation of Rose Bengal dye in aqueous medium indicates its potentiality for wastewater treatment. The material also showed catalytic efficiency in the coupling reaction of aniline and dimedone as model substrates for the synthesis of ?-enaminone derivatives, displaying its usability in organic catalysis. The work highlights the dual functional ability of MnMoO4 both an organic catalyst and a photo-catalyst, providing a green path for synthetic and environmental applications. The dual functionality combined with green fabrication process exemplifies the novelty and applicability of this article. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025. -
Neuro-fuzzy model optimization for laser sensor-based quality control for robotic welding of AISI 1030 steel
Robotic welding demonstrates considerable potential in the automation of metal joining processes, resulting in enhanced consistency. This study proposes a methodology for evaluating weld quality by utilizing a laser sensor in conjunction with a hybrid neuro-fuzzy model. The system, designed for AISI 1030 mild steel, utilizes a Design of Experimentation (DOE) methodology to collect empirical data and train the model. A MOTOMAN MA1440 robotic arm, integrated with an AccuFast-II laser sensor, was utilized to acquire real-time weld characteristics. The proposed model integrates fuzzy logic with artificial neural networks (ANNs) for predicting weld quality and is subsequently optimized using the Class Topper Optimization (CTO) algorithm. The model exhibited a high level of prediction accuracy, as indicated by R-squared values of 1.0, 0.99677, 0.99851, and 0.97561 for the training, testing, validation, and overall WQCI datasets, respectively. The process parameters obtained from the CTO analysis yielded a WQCI of 0.824, exceeding the highest experimental value of 0.808, which reflects a 1.98% enhancement in weld quality. The system demonstrated strong performance on both straight and curved weld paths, achieving a positional error of less than 0.29 mm, which falls within the acceptable weld gap range of 11.6 mm. This study emphasizes the practical implementation of a neuro-fuzzy prediction system integrated with an innovative metaheuristic for quality control in robotic arc welding. The integration improves weld consistency, minimizes defects, and increases production efficiency, representing a notable advancement in intelligent manufacturing. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2026. -
Nonlinear Dynamics and Control of Driven Climate Variability and Ocean Heat Feedbacks
Abstract: Earths climate system is a highly complex and interconnected network governed by nonlinear interactions among the atmosphere, oceans, land, ice, and biosphere, where energy exchanges and feedback mechanisms play a dominant role. In recent decades, anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide (), have significantly disrupted this balance, resulting in accelerated ocean heat uptake and persistent temperature anomalies. Determining the long-term dynamics of these interactions remains a critical challenge for accurate climate prediction and mitigation planning. This paper examines the combined dynamics of temperature anomaly, atmospheric concentration, and ocean heat content (OHC) using a novel mathematical approach. By employing the Caputo derivative to describe the model as a fractional-order dynamical system, hereditary effects and long-term dependencies that are inherent in climatic processes can be incorporated. Boundedness, existence and uniqueness of solutions, and both local and global stability are among the fundamental qualitative characteristics of the system that are investigated. To further illustrate stability behavior, streamline graphs are plotted. To ensure an accurate approximation of the fractional dynamics, numerical simulations are conducted using the Adams Bashforth Moulton (ABM) predictorcorrector method. Bifurcation analysis and computations of the Lyapunov exponent are performed to investigate the nonlinear properties of the system, exposing parameter regimes that behave chaotically for different fractional orders. Phase portraits in 2D and 3D show the intricate history of the climate variables. Additionally, to control chaotic oscillations, a sliding mode control approach is used. The findings highlight the promise of control theoretic techniques in climate dynamics by showing that the system is stabilized and chattering is successfully eliminated with the right control parameters. The results demonstrate that the fractional-order formulation provides enhanced capability in capturing long-term dependencies and nonlinear feedback mechanisms inherent in climate dynamics. The overall results show the models robustness as a theoretical framework for climate analysis and offer quantitative insights into the coupled climate systems long-term behavior. The models incorporation of nonlinear interactions among important variables improves the models interpretability and gives a more accurate picture of climate dynamics, which strengthens the foundation for assessing the effects of emissions and guiding the formulation of climate policy. King Abdulaziz University and Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026. -
Block chain-based security and authentication for forensics application using consensus proof of work and zero knowledge protocol
The technique that checks the origin, integrity, Zero-Knowledge authenticity of photographs is known as image authentication. Numerous studies on image authentication have revealed numerous trade-offs between four desirable features, namely robustness, security, flexibility, and efficiency. This study demonstrated a high-security Forensic Image (FI) as well as an authentication mechanism. Initially, the FI considered image registration with features for the Consensus method (CM) to generate blocks on each feature using a hypothesis test-based similarity measure. Because Proof-of-Work (PoW) blockchain technology is widely used, maintaining the Consensus PoW(CPoW) requires a massive amount of computing power. ZKP authentication is a critical cryptographic mechanism that authenticates network nodes without revealing the users identity or any other data given by the user. The blockchain stores the secret information, as well as the hash value of the original FI. This allows for the tracking of all medical pictures exchanged through the proposed blockchain network. The blockchain stores the private information as well as the hash value of the original medical image. The experimental results indicate the utility of the proposed approach with performance measures in contrast to established security analysis methods. Bharati Vidyapeeth's Institute of Computer Applications and Management 2024.