Book Review: \u3ci\u3eConstructing Indian Christianities: Culture, Conversion, and Caste\u3c/i\u3e

Book review of Constructing Indian Christianities: Culture, Conversion, and Caste. Edited by Chad M. Bauman and Richard Fox Young. Abington, UK: Routledge, 2014, xxiii + 264 pages

An empirical analysis of the impact of various dimensions of work-life balance on organizational commitment among service sector employees in India

The present study examined the relationships of the various facets of work-family balance with organisational commitment (OC) and its various dimensions among employees working in the service sector in India. Data were collected from 408 employees by means of questionnaires. Correlation and linear regression analysis of the collected data demonstrated that while one of the dimensions of work-life balance namely, work interferes with personal life (WIPL), acted as a significant negative predictor of OC, another dimension that is work enhancement/ personal enhancement (WE/PE) showed significant positive impact on OC. The third dimension, personal life interferes with work (PLIW) even though showed a negative correlation; the impact was generally not significant. The article concludes with the managerial implications of the study in service sector industries/institutions

Aposporic development of gametophyte in Sematophyllum subpinnatum (Brid.) E. Britton (Sematophyllaceae) from capsule wall

In the present study, an axenic culture of Sematophyllum subpinnatum (Brid.) E. Britton was attempted from spores. However, spores failed to germinate, but protonemata were seen arising from the diploid capsule wall cells by apospory. Few cells of the capsule wall turned green, and the protoplast divided, resulting in the extension of the protoplast as a germ tube, which developed into protonemata. Protonemata were less spreading, and adult gametophytes developed from these protonemata. The aposporic plants so developed were transferred to soil, and they showed normal growth but with decreased branching. No sex organs and sporophytes were seen. This is the first report of aposporic development of S. subpinnatum from the capsule wall

A comparison of measured and simulated solar network contrast

Long-term trends in the solar spectral irradiance are important to determine the impact on Earth's climate. These long-term changes are thought to be caused mainly by changes in the surface area covered by small-scale magnetic elements. The direct measurement of the contrast to determine the impact of these small-scale magnetic elements is, however, limited to a few wavelengths, and is, even for space instruments, affected by scattered light and instrument defocus. In this work we calculate emergent intensities from 3-D simulations of solar magneto-convection and validate the outcome by comparing with observations from Hinode/SOT. In this manner we aim to construct the contrast at wavelengths ranging from the NUV to the FIR.Comment: Proceedings paper, IAU XXVII, Symposium 264, 3 page

Implementing a Chatbot Music Recommender System Based on User Emotion

The use of chatbots has become increasingly popular in recent years, as more organisations try to improve and streamline their customer service operations. One area which has been gaining momentum is the use of chatbots for music recommendation. Such systems utilise AI technologies to deliver personalised music recommendations to users via conversational interfaces. Chatbot music recommender systems present several benefits namely; they provide a personalised and natural experience which can be engaging for the users. Moreover, the users can engage in a dialogue whereby the system can better interpret the user context and preferences. This work presents the development of a chatbot personalised music recommender system, based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, coupled with a web interface that can provide song recommendations based on the user’s emotions

A Bibliographic Essay on Hindu and Christian Dalit Religiosity

In his now classic novel Untouchable, Mulk Raj Anand portrays the life of a sweeper named Bakha. Bakha works cleaning latrines at the Cantonment, imitates the British tommies in his attire, and negotiates the differing spaces in which is Untouchability is defined. After an incident during which Bakha inadvertently touches a caste Hindu in the street, Bakha wanders through town. During his wanderings, he first meets a Christian missionary who speaks almost incomprehensibly about Jesus. Bakha then listens to a speech by Mahatma Gandhi and while he finds the Mahatma\u27s vision compelling, his mind turns to reflecting upon how flush toilets might be the real answer to his plight. As Anand portrays him, Bakha the sweeper is neither Hindu nor can he somehow become a Christian, for as an Untouchable he remains trapped in a wholly other spacial domain

Thinking with Nostra Aetate: From the New Pluralism to Comparative Theology

A consideration of the Vatican II document Nostra Aetate specifically in relation to comparative theology and theologies of religious pluralism. The article discusses two noted Catholic theologians: Paul Griffiths and Francis X. Clooney. The article also considers Pope Francis and the implications of his washing the feet of non-Christians. The article was published in Asian Horizons, a peer reviewed journal published by Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram in Bangalore, Indi