Browse Items (16488 total)
Sort by:
-
Examining Malabar through the Lens of a Geo-body
The textual traditions and Malabars geographical extent have been diversely perceived from one period to another. Despite the regions well-established maritime historiography, this evolution hardly captured historians interest. The paper examines the geo-body of Malabar and its evolution as a historiographical region from its earliest textual reference to contemporary ones, navigating its politico-economic networks and cultural and intellectual landscape vis-vis the regions strategic location as an Indian Ocean littoral. 2025, Economic and Political Weekly. All rights reserved. -
An Investigation into the Irrigation Capability of Treated Wastewater by Monitoring the Growth of Cicer arietinum (Chickpea)
This study compared the effects of treated wastewater and Hoagland nutrient media on chickpea growth. Results showed that Hoagland media created a more favourable environment, with higher protein levels and carbohydrate content. Antioxidant enzyme activity varied, with SOD activity increasing in both samples. Heavy metal analysis revealed higher lead concentrations in treated wastewater. The findings have implications for sustainable irrigation practices and environmental protection. Treated wastewater can be a viable irrigation option, but careful management is necessary to prevent adverse effects on plant growth and human health. Cautious use of treated wastewater in agriculture is essential for safe and sustainable crop production. 2025 - Kalpana Corporation. -
Cloud and IoT-Driven Smart Irrigation: A Modern Approach to Water Management in Agriculture
Agriculture faces the dual challenge of meeting global food demand while conserving scarce water resources under climate change. Conventional irrigation systems often result in water wastage and high manual intervention. This study proposes a Cloud- and IoT-driven smart irrigation framework that integrates Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), an NI CompactRIO controller, renewable energy, and real-time weather forecasting services. The system collects and analyzes heterogeneous data streams (soil moisture, humidity, temperature, and water levels) to dynamically control irrigation schedules. Experimental validation on a prototype farm in Morocco demonstrates that the proposed system reduces weekly water consumption by 26, lowers irrigation events from 10 to 6, eliminates manual interventions, and achieves 13.6 energy savings compared with traditional methods. The integration of predictive weather data prevents over-irrigation during rainfall, while cloud-based analytics enhance scalability and monitoring. These results highlight the system's potential for resource-efficient, autonomous, and sustainable agriculture, particularly in water-scarce regions. Future work will focus on extending the system with LoRa-based sensor networks and machine learning-based solar energy forecasting to further improve adaptability and scalability. 2026, International Association of Engineers. All right reserved. -
Deconstructing Feminist Perspectives on Work: Insights from Uchoi Indigenous Tribal Women's Worldview in Northeast India
Womens work is commonly conceptualized through an economic lens that prioritizes the valuation of paid and unpaid labor and assesses womens status and empowerment primarily in monetary terms. Such approaches are limiting as a means of understanding the lived realities of Indigenous Tribal women. In contrast, this article adopts a sociological and anthropological perspective to examine the multifaceted meanings of work among Uchoi Indigenous Tribal women in Tripura, Northeast India. The Uchoi community is a recognized Scheduled Tribe (ST) under Article 342 of the Constitution of India. By situating work within its sociocultural, ecological, and communal contexts, this article demonstrates how work shapes identity, respect, and social standing within the Uchoi community beyond mere economic valuation. Drawing on nine months of ethnographic fieldwork, this study incorporates womens memories, lived experiences, and narratives to challenge dominant feminist interpretations of work that remain largely universalist and focused on monetary value. Methodologically, the research employs elderly visitation, conversational methods, and engaged observation. The findings reveal a contextual worldview regarding work among Uchoi women, expressed through practices such as marriage by trial and service, weaving as both work and cultural expression, relational and reciprocal forms of work, collective labour in jhum cultivation, and the preservation of Indigenous knowledge systems. These practices are rooted in Indigenous epistemologies encompassing arts and crafts, weaving traditions, ecological knowledge, and communal labor arrangements. The article emphasizes the necessity of recognizing these distinct contextual experiences, cosmologies, and epistemologies of Indigenous Tribal women in theorizing work and empowerment. It contributes to feminist scholarship by reconceptualizing work through the framework of Indigenous feminism, which foregrounds Indigenous worldviews as embedded in context-specific practices. The paper argues for moving beyond universalized frameworks of work towards an approach that acknowledges the socially embedded, relational, and culturally situated dimensions shaping Indigenous womens work and lived experiences. 2026 Bridgewater State College. All rights reserved. -
A Study on Bivariate Inverse Topp-Leone Model to Counter Heterogeneous Data: Properties, Dependence Studies, Classical and Bayesian Estimation
In probability and statistics, reliable modeling of bivariate continuous characteristics remains a real insurmountable consideration. During the analysis of bivariate data, we have to deal with heterogeneity that is present in data. Therefore, for dealing with such a scenario, we investigate a novel technique based on a Farlie-Gumbel-Morgenstern (FGM) copula and the inverse Topp-Leone (ITL) model in this study. The idea is to use the oscillating functionalities of the FGM copula and the flexibility of the ITL model to propose a serious bivariate solution for the modeling of bivariate lifetime phenomena to counter the heterogeneity present in data. Both theory and practice are developed. In particular, we determine the main functions related to the model, like the cumulative model function, probability density function, and various useful dependence measures for bivariate modeling. The model parameters are estimated using the maximum likelihood method and Bayesian framework of the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methodology. Following that, model comparison methods are used to compare models. To explain the findings and show that better models are recommended, the famous Drought and Burr data sets are used. 2025, Thai Statistical Association. All rights reserved. -
The Impact of Fintech and Financial Inclusion on SMEs Growth and Development
[No abstract available] -
WATCHING AND BEING WATCHED: POWER, SURVEILLANCE AND AGENCY WITHIN THE DEVADASI SYSTEM
This article explores the devadasi system in India through the dual thoughts of Michael Foucaults Panopticism and Agency Theory, examining how power dynamics and social control mechanisms were both enforced and resisted. The devadasi system, originally a revered religious practice, evolved into a complex structure of exploitation and marginalization, where women dedicated to temple service were subjected to pervasive surveillance and disciplinary practices. By applying Panopticism, this study reveals how the British administrators and the nationalists maintained strict control over devadasis, ensuring their subjugation within the social hierarchy. Simultaneously, Agency Theory illuminates how devadasis challenged these oppressive structures, asserting their autonomy in subtle but significant ways. This analysis not only deepens our understanding of the devadasi system but also contributes to broader discussions on the intersections of power, control and agency in marginalized communities. The study also highlights the importance of examining historical systems of oppression through critical and theoretical frameworks to uncover both the mechanisms of control and the resilience of those subjected to them. 2025 Journal of Dharma: Dharmaram Journal of Religions and Philosophies (DVK, Bangalore), ISSN: 0253-7222. -
A STUDY ON DEG-CENTRIC GRAPHS OF SOME GRAPH FAMILIES
The deg-centric graph of a simple, connected graph G, denoted by Gd, is a graph constructed from G such that, V (Gd) = V (G) and E(Gd) = {vivj: dG(vi, vj) ? degG(vi)}. This paper presents the properties and structural characteristics of deg-centric graphs of some graph families; the deg-centrication of graph operations are also discussed. Palestine Polytechnic University-PPU 2025. -
A STUDY ON LOWER DEG-CENTRIC GRAPHS
The lower deg-centric graph of a simple, connected graph G, denoted by Gld, is a graph constructed from G such that V (Gld) = V (G) and E(Gld) = {vivj: dG(vi, vj) < degG(vi)}. For a connected graph G of order n, the lower deg-centric graph Gld ?=Kn if and only if degG(vi) > eG(vi), for all vi ? V (G). In this paper, the concepts of lower deg-centric graphs and iterated lower deg-centrication of a graph are introduced and discussed. Palestine Polytechnic University-PPU 2025. -
A STUDY ON UPPER DEG-CENTRIC GRAPHS
The upper deg-centric graph of a simple, connected graph G, denoted by Gud, is a graph constructed from G such that V (Gud) = V (G) and E(Gud) = {vivj : dG(vi, vj) ? degG(vi)}. This paper introduces and discusses the concepts of upper deg-centric graphs and iterated upper deg-centrication of a graph. I??k University, Department of Mathematics, 2025; all rights reserved. -
Development and Validation of Service-Learning Experience Scale
The growing integration of service-learning into academic content reflects higher education institutions efforts to provide an environment that strengthens teaching, learning, and service to the community. This research article documents the development and testing of an instrument that measures service-learning experiences among higher education students in India. Our study involved the voluntary participation of 290 students; data was collected through Google Forms. The resulting scale measures six major aspects of students experiences in service-learning projects: curriculum, meaningful service, student learning and reflection, faculty support and involvement, peer support and participation, and accomplishment. The demonstrated scale showed an adequate degree of reliability. The content validity confirmed that positive experience is accounted for by service-learning projects, which is the objective of the instrument. The study will be valuable for faculty members to create effective service-learning courses and help students engage in such activities in an organized manner. Copyright 2025 by the University of Georgia. -
NEUROSYMBOLIC AI FOR CONTEXT-AWARE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN 5G SMART HEALTHCARE NETWORKS
Context-aware resource management in 5G Utilising neurosymbolic AI has growing impacts in the next-generation healthcare systems as smart healthcare networks to overcome the crucial issues of optimal service delivery and dynamic resource allocation. The 5G technology is adopted in healthcare networks for real-time processing, low latency, and high reliability that supports a vital application as telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. The resource management process of existing model rapidly fails in complicated, context-dependent situation with dynamic demands. To overcome these limitations, we proposed improved framework that combines a deep learning (DL) models for context extraction and symbolic reasoning process for decision-making. To determine the contextual patterns, the DL component analyses the multi-source data, as patient vitals, network conditions, and device status by utilising Transformer and Graph Neural Networks (GNNs). These data fed into symbolic reasoning module employ a knowledge graph and a rule-based system to dynamically allocate and distribute the resources based on the predetermined healthcare policies and requirements. Experimental results of this study showcase the improvements by attaining a reduction in latency, enhances in resource utilisation efficiency, and improved Quality of Service (QoS) for essential healthcare applications. In 5G-enabled smart healthcare systems, the results ensure a proposed model potential to transforms a resource management and ensure context-aware, versatile, and dependable service delivery for enhanced patient outcomes. 2025, Scibulcom Ltd.. All rights reserved. -
Excess and Otherness: Fat, Queer, and Neurodivergent Bodies under Ethnonationalism in Postwar Studio Ghibli
This study examines intersectional representation in animated films through the characters of the Witch of the Waste (Howls Moving Castle) and Yubaba (Spirited Away), positioning them within discourses on fatness, queerness, and the reimagining of witchcraft as a metaphor for neurodivergence. Both characters reify camp aesthetics (a style characterised by excess, artifice, and a self-aware sense of extravagance) through exaggerated mannerisms, grandiose expressions, and theatrical speech, a feat made possible by the medium of animation, which enhances these characteristics beyond what live-action film can achieve. They are perceived as Other because their bodies are rendered disruptive to dominant social norms. Drawing on Sara Ahmeds Cultural Politics of Emotion, this study explores how these witches evoke fear, disgust and discomfort, mainly through their unruly corporeality and deviation from socially sanctioned expression. Fatness, neurodivergence, and queerness, like the abject, exist on the threshold of the acceptable, simultaneously provoking fascination and repulsion. These traits are further entangled with the logic of ethnonationalism, which upholds idealised bodily forms as markers of morality, and national superiority. This study reveals how Studio Ghiblis witches challenge dominant norms while also reflecting broader cultural anxieties about bodies that refuse to conform. The witches also channel the contradictions of the postwar maternal body, tasked with care, burdened with trauma, and shaped by national expectations of productivity and restraint. Ultimately, they offer a lens into how animated media navigates the politics of the body, excess, and deviance, contributing to broader discussions of intersectional representation in film and television. 2025 Australian National University, Dept. of Gender, Media and Cultural Studies. All rights reserved. -
ENHANCING HEALTHCARE SECURITY WITH BLOCKCHAIN-POWERED SMART CONTRACTS
The rationale behind this research stems from the increasing frequency of data breaches in healthcare and the inadequacy of centralized systems to ensure privacy, interoperability, and regulatory compliance. The Present study emphasizes the importance of applying security in healthcare. This model was prepared by utilizing Smart Contracts. It has been noted that there are some emerging concerns about data security and privacy as well as interoperability within healthcare organizations. The focus of a research paper is on the deployment of Smart Contracts along with blockchain technologies. The fundamental vision is to improve healthcare infrastructures security. Blockchain is transforming healthcare systems for the better by eliminating inefficiencies caused by fraud and outdated technologies, allowing for the efficient, transparent, and secure issuance of Smart Contracts. The challenges of confidentiality, data security, and access to relevant patient information for medical professionals have been a problem in the healthcare sector. Most of the existing EHR systems do not have adequate mechanisms for enforcing security access controls, which hampers cooperation between healthcare institutions. These security concerns pose risks for patients privacy and cripple the adoption of modern information technology within the health sector. Simulation works shows that Transaction processing time in case of proposed model is below 1.5 second where as it is 2.5 in case of conventional model. Security breach probability of proposed model has been reduced to 0.05 that was 0.35 in case of conventional model. Data integrity verification time in case of proposed model is below 1.0 that is above 1.75 in case of conventional model. While with the existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems face limitations in security, privacy enforcement, and interoperability, this study addresses the lack of automated, decentralized access control mechanisms. It proposes a blockchain-powered Smart Contract model to fill these gaps and enhance healthcare data governance and trust. Little Lion Scientific -
Trait-Driven Persuasion: Investigating the Role of Personality in Shaping Advertising Effectiveness
This study examines how the Big Five personality traits influence consumer responses to different advertising appeals persuasive, rational, emotional, humour, and fear. A descriptive research design with snowball sampling was used to collect data from individuals (n = 120). Standardized self-report questionnaires were administered, including a demographic information form, a Big Five personality measure (assessing extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness), and scales evaluating perceived effectiveness of five advertising appeals; overall internal consistency was acceptable for exploratory research (Cronbachs ? = .65). Correlation analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) were conducted. Results reveal distinct associations: agreeableness aligns with humour appeal, neuroticism with emotional and fear appeals, conscientiousness with rational and persuasive appeals, extraversion with fear appeal, and openness with humour appeal. These findings contribute to personality-driven marketing research by providing empirical evidence on how individual differences shape advertising effectiveness. The study highlights implications for advertisers seeking to design targeted and psychologically congruent campaigns based on personality segmentation. Advertisers can apply personality-driven segmentation to design psychologically congruent campaigns. 2026, Institute of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab Quaid-eAzam Campus. All rights reserved. -
I Refuse to Die: Remembering G N Saibaba's Rhetoric of Resistance
The inhuman and brute force that G N Saibaba suffered during and after his arrest makes one question the non-enforcement of the legal rights of a disabled person. 2025 Economic and Political Weekly. All rights reserved. -
Sweet, Identity, and Bengaluru!
[No abstract available] -
Exploring the Power of Agency in Womens Non-farm Business Participation
The relationship between rural womens agency and their non-farm self-employment is explored. Using a sequential explanatory design and nationally representative India Human Development Survey data, it is shown that agency outcomes, such as household decision-making, freedom of movement and group memberships, are crucial for womens participation and their roles in non-farm businesses. Additionally, personal in-depth interviews with self-employed women in rural West Bengal and Karnataka reveal how they navigate and negotiate within business environments despite existing constraints. 2026, Economic and Political Weekly. All rights reserved. -
Wear rate prediction of hybrid composites: A comparative study using experimental analysis, finite element simulation and machine learning prediction
This study evaluates wear rate predictions by comparing experimental results with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations, focusing on the influence of track radius. Regression models were developed to analyze the trends, while residual analysis identified deviations between the two approaches. A correlation matrix highlighted significant relationships between wear rate, pressure, and sliding distance. Confidence interval analysis confirmed the reliability of both models, though polynomial regression provided a more accurate representation of wear rate trends than linear models. While FEA predictions are closely aligned with experimental data, some discrepancies suggest the need for further refinement in computational modeling to improve accuracy. Future work will focus on enhancing FEA simulations and expanding experimental validation for better predictive reliability. 2025, Malaysian Tribology Society (Mytribos). All rights reserved. -
Digital Financial Inclusion and Financial Resilience of Micro and Small Entrepreneurs in Post-COVID-19 in Karnataka
In India, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises contribute 29% of the GDP and create millions of works. However, MSMEs have continuously been facing numerous issues and further, micro and small enterprises are hardly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The traditional financial system has certain limitations. The new-age technology-enabled digital finance overcomes the supply-side constraints and they serve even the financially excluded individuals and businesses through its innovative business strategies, models, products, and services which are designed and delivered by "Artificial Intelligence", "Machine Learning", "Big Data Analytics", and "Blockchain Technology". Digital Finance Adoption (DFA) depends on the digital financial literacy (DFL) of the users. This study analyses the role of DFA and DFL on the "Digital Financial Inclusion" (DFI) and "Financial resilience" (FR) of MSEs in Karnataka, India. 2025, Indian Institute of Finance. All rgihts reserved.