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Dimensions of occupational stress impacting turnover intentions amongst BPO employees: An empirical study
Nowadays, many organizations are confronted with the problem of higher level of employee turnover that brings higher replacement costs to these companies. Especially analysing the current situation in the BPO Industry, it is observed that the turnover intention of call centre employees is greater than its expected level and has become a major threat to their existence. Job stress is one of the major factors which tremendously influences this problem. This study mostly focused upon the impact of job stress (JS) on employee turnover intention (Tl) of call centre employees in the BPO industry. Eight five respondents participated in the study. The study was carried out using the survey method. For the survey, the standardized questionnaire of Osipow (1998) for occupational stress and Rajkumar and Karthik Sridar (2015) for turnover intentions were used. The results revealed that scope of occupational stress, that is, role uncertainty/ambiguity, role boundary, role responsibility, and the physical environment had a substantial significant impact on turnover intentions of employees. The dimensions of occupational stress, that is, role insufficiency and role overload had a slight impact on turnover intentions of employees. The regression model stated that there was dependency between occupational stress and turnover intentions. The study suggested that empowerment should be provided at the workplace so that the employees can minimize their inter role distance and can increase job involvement. To make a productive workforce, the sub - variables of job stress like role stagnation, role isolation, and role overload should also be minimized by working more on the person-organization-fit at the time of recruitment and selection. -
Healthy healthcare systems in India: A prognosis
India has been an emerging economy which has retained its second position in the global healthcare market that has been tackling its economic gaps, shifting demographics, thereby, facing a wide gap between the demand and supply of healthcare products and services due to technology and increasing cost. Affordable treatment facilities for the economically low strata is still a dream. The government scheme of "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" and "Ayushman Bharat Yojna" are the steps to uplift the backward community and make all the facilities available to them at the lowest possible cost directly and indirectly. Hence, the objective of this research was to unfold the three pillars of Healthy Healthcare which revolves around healthcare systems in India, Healthcare Employees' wellbeing and resultant patient outcomes. This research also tried studying various interventions that can be taken to improve the present scenario of affordable and quality service to the needy people. Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020. -
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. -
Influence of alkali treatment on physiochemical and morphological properties of palmyra fibers
As a part of sustainable development in construction, natural fibers are used as reinforcement in cement composites. The degradation of these natural fibers in matrix has led to growing interest among researchers to enhance the fiber properties by adopting suitable treatment techniques. This research focuses on examining the influence of alkali treatment on various aspects, including the physical, chemical, crystallinity, mechanical and surface characteristics of palmyra fibers. Herein, the palmyra fibers were immersed in alkaline solution for different duration (30 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes) to arrive at optimum treatment period. The investigation utilizes XRD, FTIR, SEM and EDS analysis to gain insights into these properties. The findings indicated that the treatment effectively removed excess amorphous components like extractives, hemicellulose and lignin leading to the increase in crystallinity index and surface roughness. The crystallinity index increased by 11 %, 13 % and 23 % for 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes treatment respectively. The water absorption of palmyra fibers reduced by 13 %, 14 % and 14 % for 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes treatment duration respectively. Additionally, SEM-EDS exhibited best results for 60 min treatment of fibers, with 38 % increase in Oxygen to Carbon ratio of cellulose compared to untreated fibers. Among the different treatment duration, the 60 minutes treatment duration of fibers in 0.5 M sodium hydroxide solution has exhibited considerable enhancement in properties. These enhancements in palmyra fiber properties post-alkali treatment suggests their potential utility in the reinforcement of composites using alkali treated palmyra fibers. 2024 The Authors -
The Quantum Shift inMachine Learning
Quantum machine learning (QML) leverages the power of quantum computing to extensively enhance the performance of simple ML algorithms. This kind of enhancement efficiently avoids complicated high-dimensional and computationally expensive applications. Following exciting discoveries of some key algorithms such as Grovers and Shors algorithm, QML came up with advanced models such as quantum neural networks (QNNs), quantum support vector machines (QSVMs), and quantum deep architecture. The discussed models give better results in data processing, pattern recognition, and optimization in comparison to their classical variants. This survey discusses the most important developments in QML with focus on Quantum Fourier Transform for encoding the data. Applications of QML in quantum chemistry, secure distributed computing, and high-dimensional data analysis are shown. It will present new breakthroughs and continue to challenge practical, scalable QML solutions toward mapping out the course toward quantum advantage in machine learning tasks. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2026. -
Colonial legacies and regional separatism: comparative analysis of statehood demands in Coorg and North Bengal
This article presents a comparative study of statehood demands in two distinct regions of IndiaCoorg (Kodagu) in Karnataka and Darjeeling region of the Eastern Himalayas in West Bengalhighlighting how historical, cultural and political legacies have shaped regional separatist movements in these areas. By analysing the influence of colonial administration, regional identity and political marginalisation, this study uncovers the underlying drivers of these statehood demands and situates them within Indias broader socio-political landscape. The research employs a comparative framework supplemented with primary data to explore the complexities of regional movements, focusing on the interplay between cultural identity, economic disparities and the perceived neglect by central and state governments. The article also delves into how these demands challenge Indias federal structure, raising critical questions about regional autonomy, governance and the management of diverse identities within a democratic framework. Through a nuanced analysis of historical records, political discourse and socio-economic data, this study provides insights into the enduring nature of these movements and their implications for Indias federal polity. By addressing the factors that sustain such demands, the paper contributes to the scholarly discourse on identity politics, regional autonomy, and the governance challenges associated with statehood movements in Indias pluralistic society. 2025 The Round Table Ltd. -
Decoding Quality of Life in Urban Spaces: A Case Study of Nagpur City, India
Urban Quality of Life (QoL) is becoming increasingly important to individuals due to the global increase in urban populations brought on by rapid population growth and urbanisation processes. To accommodate the inflow of people, cities undergo alterations in physical features concurrently. The development of a city is greatly influenced by urban planning. Cities that develop face overcrowding, shoddy urban planning, poverty, high housing costs, and labour shortages incoherently. This may also result in a lack of investment and poor city management. It makes life more difficult for many individuals and may even increase crime and harm the environment (Zhang, X.Q.,2016). This means that policies and rules should emphasise fostering urban development and enhancing infrastructure, such as buildings and services. Policies should focus on what each location requires and employ various techniques, including rules, market tactics, and spatial planning, to ensure that cities flourish in a positive way. Urban Quality of Life (QoL) refers to how enjoyable living is in a town, considering how residents interact with their surroundings (Das, D., 2008). 2025 selection and editorial matter, Uday Chatterjee, Avishek Bhunia, Jyothi Gupta and Krishnendu Gupta; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Cementing the future from gray to green
This chapter explores the potential of green structures and nature-based solutions in the context of Bangalore, a city that is rapidly urbanizing and struggling with the environmental impacts of traditional building materials such as concrete. Concrete, while being a mainstay of modern construction, contributes significantly to global CO2 emissions (Fischetti etal., 2023). The problem is how we can maintain Bangalore's rapid growth without concrete's ill effects. What are the alternatives to concrete, how do the different materials compare with each other, and how will it affect Bangalore? In Bangalore, using materials like clay and mud blocks instead of bricks, simple Kota tiles and clay tiles for flooring, or Hempcrete would have a significant environmental benefit. This chapter also discusses nature solutions, which are nature-based strategies for creating sustainable and climate-resilient solutions to address infrastructure needs for Bangalore. These solutions often offer higher quality, lower cost, and more excellent resiliency than traditional infrastructure. Composition and Properties of Hempcrete is a biocomposite building material that combines the internal woody core of the industrial hemp plant with a lime-based binder. The result is a lightweight, insulating, and flame-retardant material with excellent thermal properties. The porous cellulosic structure of the hemp core provides exceptional bonding strength with lime, making foam concrete a versatile material that can be used in both new construction and renovation of existing buildings. One of the main thermal properties and advantages is its high thermal mass. This means they can store heat and keep buildings warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer (Hemp). This property reduces the need for energy-intensive heating and cooling systems, making buildings made from Hempcrete more energy-efficient and cost-effective in the long run. 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. -
Customer relationship management system and method of taking feedback thereof /
Patent Number: 202241008325, Applicant: Dr. Rashmi Rai.
A customer relationship management system (1) and method of taking feedback thereof comprising a feedback button (2), a mobile application (2A), an electronic unit (4), a computer (5), a mobile (6), a network (7), a server (8), a database (9). The invention provides a feedback button may be a physical three-way button (2) or a three-way digital button. One of them is visible on mobile applications and the second one is visible in the room. -
Investigating Risk Factors for Enhanced Portfolio Performance: An AI Approach for Indian Midcap Market Analysis
This research investigates the potential of machine learning (ML) for constructing portfolios that outperform human-based management, specifically focusing on the Indian midcap market. The study compares AI-based portfolio compositions, optimised using various risk measures, to the holdings of top midcap mutual funds. In this research, the top five midcap mutual funds sectoral distributions, portfolio compositions, and AI-generated portfolios are examined. According to the research, there is significant performance potential in the AI-generated portfolio, particularly when taking shorter investment horizons into account. Portfolios that maximise the Sharpe ratio produced the best returns throughout the course of the test period for four out of the six sectors, according to the research statistics. Additionally, in order to shed light on the effectiveness and possible advantages of our strategy, our study compares the suggested technique to existing investing strategies that concentrate on particular corporations as well as well-established market benchmarks. The research shows that, particularly when taking shorter investment horizons into account, the AI-generated portfolio has great performance potential. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025. -
Early strength of concrete amended with waste foundry sand - A potential for early open to traffic (EOT) pavements
The most predominant and widely practiced methods for waste disposal are Landfill, Incineration, and composting. There is a scarcity of land for waste disposal and because of increasing land cost, recycling and utilization of industrial by-products and waste materials has become an attractive proposition to waste disposal. There are several types of industrial by-products and waste materials. The utilization of such materials in concrete not only decreases the overall cost of construction but also helps in reducing disposal concerns. One such industrial by-product is waste foundry sand (WFS). The annual production is about 3 million tons from different industries in India. In the metal casting process, foundry industries dispose of huge quantities of waste sand into landfills, causing a harmful impact on the environment. The silica-based spent foundry sands from iron, steel, and aluminum foundries are evaluated in the risk assessment. This paper mainly focuses on achieving concrete for EOT (Early Open to Traffic) rigid pavements with WFS along with the use of accelerator and super-plasticizer. Effects of WFS on concrete properties such as compressive strength and split tensile strength are presented. Two types of mix proportions were investigated in this study. FDOT (Florida Department of transportation) and IRC (Indian Road Congress) recommendations were adopted for mix proportions using 5% & 10% of WFS replaced partially for M-Sand. 1-day compressive strength for FDOT mix with 10% WFS was 30MPa & for IRC mix with 10%, WFS was 20?MPa. The 3-days strength for mixtures with 10% WFS was 45MPa & 47MPa for FDOT & IRC mix proportions, respectively. Though the strength decreased with the inclusion of WFS, the 1-day and 3-days strength achieved for mixtures with 10% WFS surpassed the minimum strength requirements as per the slab replacement guidelines. Normally the pavement will be open to traffic after three to four days of laying asphalt, this method of using foundry sand enables the pavements to be open to traffic inless than a day. 2023 Author(s). -
Extreme photometric and polarimetric variability of blazar S4 0954+65 at its maximum optical and ?-ray brightness levels
In 2022 the BL Lac object S4 0954+65 underwent a major variability phase, reaching its historical maximum brightness in the optical and ?-ray bands. We present optical photometric and polarimetric data acquired by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) Collaboration from 2022 April 6 to July 6. Many episodes of unprecedented fast variability were detected, implying an upper limit to the size of the emitting region as low as parsec. The WEBT data show rapid variability in both the degree and angle of polarization. We analyse different models to explain the polarization behaviour in the framework of a twisting jet model, which assumes that the long-term trend of the flux is produced by variations in the emitting region viewing angle. All the models can reproduce the average trend of the polarization degree, and can account for its general anticorrelation with the flux, but the dispersion of the data requires the presence of intrinsic mechanisms, such as turbulence, shocks, or magnetic reconnection. The WEBT optical data are compared to ?-ray data from the Fermi satellite. These are analysed with both fixed and adaptive binning procedures. We show that the strong correlation between optical and ?-ray data without measurable delay assumes different slopes in faint and high brightness states, and this is compatible with a scenario where in faint states we mainly see the imprint of the geometrical effects, while in bright states the synchrotron self-Compton process dominates. 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society. -
Cyber-Threat Landscape in Healthcare Industry and Legal Framework Governing Personal Health Information in India
2021 and 2022 have been the years of frequent cyberattacks. India remains in the top 25 countries severely affected by the continuous cyber-attacks and tops the list. The healthcare department is amongst the most affected area. In 2020, the healthcare department suffered a severe impact with around 348K cyber-attacks alone on Indian healthcare infrastructure. The recent occurrence of cyber-attack on AIIMS hospital in December 2022 followed by several other incidences of data breaches have made the concerned authorities pro-active on exercising vigilance and reforming the legal and technical system to protect the health infrastructure. This paper has been developed on extensive literature and focuses on describing the nature of electronic health records, the risks they are exposed to along with as to why they are so susceptible to these cyber-risks. Furthermore, the paper also deals with different kinds of threats affecting the privacy and security of electronic health records specifically. The paper analyzes Indian legal framework, briefly compares it with international legal framework (specifically US & EU) and highlights the shortcomings in Indian legislative framework followed by laying down certain recommendations primarily highlighting the possible changes required in Indian legal framework and practices that can be adopted at organizational level to overcome and mitigate such risks. N. Raizada, P. Srivastava, 2024. -
A method for identification of restarted radio sources from large radiosurveys
Active galaxies hosting radio jets can exhibit distinct active phases marked by two sets of radio lobes. Typically, these episodic radio sources have been identified through morphological observations. In addition, spectral characteristics-based methods are also employed wherever multi-frequency deep radio observations are available. However, these methods are inefficient in detecting restarted radio sources that do not exhibit a clear morphology. To address this, a method of using the spectral curvature (SPC=?150MHz1400MHz-?74MHz150MHz) to identify restarted radio sources is presented. This is based on the fact that restarted radio sources with significant remnant emission are expected to have concave spectra in contrast to the convex or straight spectra observed in most radio sources. We use available wide area radio surveys in the range of frequencies from 74MHz to 1.4GHz to search for episodic radio sources and to shortlist 9,405 sources based on the criteria of SPC?0.5. The candidates thus identified can be followed up for detailed morphological and spectral index studies. This method will find application in the automated identification of episodic radio sources in large radio sky surveys from telescopes like LOFAR and SKA. Indian Academy of Sciences 2025. -
Prediction of Friction Stir Welding Parameters Using Response Surface Methodology
The Friction Stir Welding (FSW) technique results in mixing and densification of weld joint in a more accurate and localized manner. FSW has been used to create a more significant weld with more structural integrity. In this research work, to join AA 3103 and AA 7075 was carried out. These alloys were preferred due to their wide variety of applications varying from aluminium fabrication to the aerospace industry. AA 7075, being a costlier metal, can be partially replaced with AA 3103, which can be economically justifiable for this research. The study tries to reveal the regression model by considering the FSW parameters like speed feed and offset. Various mechanical tests, impact tests and hardness tests were used for determining the most suitable weld joint. After conducting the tests, the results were analyzed using Minitab 18 software. The mathematical equations were derived out of Response Surface Methodology, which proved to be efficient. The report thus discusses the details in the analysis and study of FSW. 2023 American Institute of Physics Inc.. All rights reserved. -
Optimization of cutting parameters and prediction of surface roughness during hard turning of H13 steel with minimal vegetable oil based cutting fluid application using response surface methodology
The manufacturing industries in modern era are competing to reduce cost of production by employing innovative techniques, one being hard turning. In hard turning process, the work piece is heat treated to the required hardness in the initial stage itself and near net shape is arrived directly by hard turning process. Hard turning reduces manufacturing lead time by excluding the normal cost incurring processes such as, turning, heat treatment, finish grinding etc. In this experimental investigation hard turning process is assisted with minimal cutting fluid application technique, which reduces cutting fluid usage to a minimum of 6-8 ml/min. Soya bean oil based emulsion was used to make the hard turning environment friendly. The oil was prepared by adding additives, which will enhance the desirable properties of the oil for hard turning. Response surface methodology was used for optimization of cutting parameters and for the prediction of surface roughness. A central composite design was implemented to estimate the second-degree polynomial model. The cutting parameters considered for experimentation were cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut. The surface roughness was considered parameter for prediction. Surface roughness predicted by the response Surface Methodology matched well with the experimental results. Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. -
Optimization of friction stir welding parameters during joining of AA3103 and AA7075 aluminium alloys using Taguchi method
This paper investigates the optimization of input parameters for the friction stir welding of AA3103 and AA7075 aluminium alloys. The properties of base materials AA3103 are non-heat-treatable alloy, which is having good weldability while AA 7075 is having higher strength. Therefore, the welding of these aluminium alloys will produce superior mechanical properties. Friction stir welding is a rapidly growing welding process which is being widely used in marine, automobile and aerospace industries. Rather than its widespread use, this type of welding has several advantages over normal welding processes like low production of fume, no consumable electrodes are used and can be used in any position. In this paper, optimization of input parameters were conducted based on Taguchi method using the L9 orthogonal array. There were nine experimental runs in total after creating the L9 orthogonal array table in MINITAB software. The input parameters selected for optimization are tool rotation speed, feed rate, tool pin profile the output parameters which are optimized hardness, tensile strength, impact strength. The ANOVA analysis was carried out in the Qualitek 4 software to find out the percentage influence of input parameters on the output parameters. This research work was carried out to find the optimized condition to carry out friction stir welding of above mentioned aluminium alloys. 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. -
Modelling, Temperature Analysis, and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welding of Al-Cu Joints with Hardened OHNS Steel Tools
Friction stir welding (FSW) is a nearly modern welding method with vital advantages over the conventional welding process, such as lower distortion, enhanced mechanical properties, and eco-friendly. In FSW, the joint characteristics mainly depend on heat development during the joining process due to its solid-state joining method. The basic principles of thermomechanical methods during FSW are unknown since it is a new metal joining method. In this investigation, the 2D and 3D models of the tools with different pin forms were designed using SOLIDWORKS. The ANSYS software was used to investigate the temperature distributions near the weld zones. The fixture was designed and made according to the machine conditions. The base plates used were AA6101 and C11000; the tool material used was the Hardened OHNS steel tool with square and circular pin form. The temperature values were measured in each trial while joining of Al-Cu base plates along the weld line. The results reveal that in the joint area, a trial with high temperature leads to high ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and Charpy impact strength (CIS). Made at tool rotation speed 1200 rpm and feed velocity 20 mm/min of Hardened OHNS steel tool with circular pin form. The obtained UTS value at joints was less than that of Al and Cu base plates. The microhardness value detected at the joint area was higher than the Al and Cu base plates, providing high strength, and irregularly dispersed. 2022, Books and Journals Private Ltd.. All rights reserved. -
Comparison of Various Types of Lubrication During Hard Turning of H13 Tool Steel by Analysing Flank Wear Using ANOVA
Hard machining of components has been a new attraction in the field of manufacturing, as it avoids the need for multiple cost inculcation processes for a single part. Hard machining attracts a wide attention to the researchers because of the usage of hard tools, tougher machinery and enormous quantities of cutting fluids. Optimized use of any of these functionaries can result in reduction of cost as well as safer and clean working environments. In this research new cutting fluid reduction processes were compared along with the use of hard metal inserts. These two methods suggest an enormous amount of cost reduction along with cleaner shop floor. Minimal quantity lubrication (MQL) and minimal cutting fluid application (MCFA) capacities in cutting fluid reduction as mentioned by various researchers in past two decades. These methods were compared in this research paper for finding out the best possible system. Flank wear is considered as a crucial parameter in hard machining as the wear rate affects other deserving product qualities such as surface finish and job profiles. In this research tungsten carbide coated hard metal inserts were used instead of conventional CBN or diamond tipped tools, which are of higher in price margin. The study comprised of Taguchis L9 orthogonal array, which was advised by previous researchers as good tool for optimisation. MQL and MCFA assisted experimentation were performed with same cutting conditions, which were then again compared with dry hard machining and wet machining. Influence of each input parameters where critically evaluated using ANOVA. The results revealed that a promising reduction in tool wear was noticed in MCFA assisted hard machining. 2020, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. -
Strengthening the Security of IoT Devices Through Federated Learning: A Comprehensive Study
There is a strong need for having an operative security framework which can help in making IoT (Internet of Things) devices more secure and reliable which can further protect from adversarial intrusions. Federated Learning, due to its decentralized architecture, has emerged as one of the ideal choices by the research practitioners in order to protect sensitive data from wide IoT-based attacks like DoS (Denial of Service) attack, Device Tampering, Sensor-Data manipulation etc. This paper discusses the significance of federated learning in addressing security concerns with IoT (Internet of Things) devices and how those issues can be minimized with the use of Federated Learning has been deliberated with the help of comparative analysis. In order to perform this comparative analysis, we investigated the published work in FL based IoT application for the last five years i.e., 2018-2022. We have defined a few inclusion/exclusion criteria and based on that we selected the desired paper and provided a comprehensive solution to IoT based applications using FL approach. Federated learning offers an optimistic approach to intensify security in IoT environments by enabling collaborative model training while preserving information privacy. In this paper a framework named Federated AI Technology Enabler (FATE) has been envisaged which is one of the recommended frameworks in safeguarding security and privacy measures of IoT devices. 2024 IEEE.