Implications of Social Media and Socio-Economic Activities on Micro and Small Enterprises in India

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine the implications of social media and socio-economic activities on micro and small enterprises in India.   Theoretical framework: The study will be based on the theories of social capital, network effects, and digital divide.   Design/methodology/approach: The research will be conducted using a mixed-methods approach, including both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Surveys and interviews will be conducted with micro and small enterprise owners in India to gather data on their use of social media and their socio-economic activities.   Findings: The findings of the study will explore the ways in which social media and socio-economic activities impact the growth and success of micro and small enterprises in India. This includes the potential for increased connectivity and networking opportunities, as well as the potential for digital divide and limited access to resources.   Research, practical and social implications: The research will have implications for policymakers and small business owners in India, as it will provide insight into the potential benefits and challenges of using social media for small business growth and success. It will also contribute to the broader literature on the impact of digital technologies on small businesses in developing countries.   Originality/value: This study fills a gap in the literature by focusing on the specific context of micro and small enterprises in India, and by using a mixed-methods approach to explore the implications of social media and socio-economic activities on these businesses

Green HRM Practices and the Factors Forcing it: A Study on Health Care Entities in Chennai

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Global Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices on the efficiency of healthcare organizations in the Chennai area. It aims to understand how GHRM can contribute to the success of these organizations, despite potential conflicts with their core values.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employs a research methodology that focuses on healthcare organizations within the Chennai area. It employs a comprehensive approach to analyze the implementation of GHRM practices in this specific context. The research design allows for an in-depth exploration of how GHRM practices influence the efficiency of these organizations.   Findings: The findings of this study reveal that GHRM practices have a substantial impact on the efficiency of healthcare businesses in Chennai. Despite potential conflicts with their core values, these organizations benefit from the advanced HRM strategies associated with GHRM. The study uncovers valuable insights into the role of GHRM in the healthcare industry.   Research, Practical & Social implications: This research has implications for both research and practice. It provides valuable insights for academics and researchers studying the impact of HRM practices on different industries, especially in contexts where traditional values may be challenged. Additionally, it offers practical guidance for healthcare organizations in Chennai and beyond, demonstrating the potential benefits of adopting GHRM practices. On a broader social scale, the study underscores the adaptability and relevance of GHRM in diverse sectors.   Originality/Value: The originality and value of this study lie in its specific focus on healthcare organizations in Chennai and their adoption of GHRM practices. By examining a niche sector within a specific geographic region, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the applicability and benefits of GHRM. It adds to the body of knowledge by highlighting the adaptability of GHRM practices, even in industries with established core values, and underscores the potential for organizational success through strategic HR management

Recent advances on the methods developed for the identification and detection of emerging contaminant microplastics: a review

The widespread use of plastics, popular for their versatility and cost-efficiency in mass production, has led to their essential role in modern society. Their remarkable attributes, such as flexibility, mechanical strength, lightweight, and affordability, have further strengthened their importance. However, the emergence of microplastics (MPs), minute plastic particles, has raised environmental concerns. Over the last decade, numerous studies have uncovered MPs of varying sizes in diverse environments. They primarily originate from textile fibres and cosmetic products, with large plastic items undergoing degradation and contributing as secondary sources. The bioaccumulation of MPs, with potential ingestion by humans through the food chain, underscores their significance as environmental contaminants. Therefore, continuous monitoring of environmental and food samples is imperative. A range of spectroscopic techniques, including vibrational spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, facilitates the detection of MPs. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the analytical methods employed for sample collection, characterization, and analysis of MPs. It also emphasizes the crucial criteria for selecting practical and standardized techniques for the detection of MPs. Despite advancements, challenges persist in this field, and this review suggests potential strategies to address these limitations. The development of effective protocols for the accurate identification and quantification of MPs in real-world samples is of paramount importance. This review further highlights the accumulation of microplastics in various edible species, such as crabs, pelagic fish, finfish, shellfish, American oysters, and mussels, shedding light on the extreme implications of MPs on our food chain

Diversity of intertidal macrobenthic fauna around Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra, west coast of India

Diversity of intertidal macrobenthic community and environmental parameters namely temperature, salinity, pH and DO were assessed near the proposed nuclear power plant site Jaitapur from 2012 to 2014. Analysis of macrobenthic samples revealed the presence of 54 species belonging to 19 different groups. Highest diversity (14 groups) was observed during the post-monsoon (2014) season. At sandy and rocky shores, polychaetes were dominant followed by crustaceans like amphipod, isopod, penaeid shrimps and decapod larvae. Among all inshore stations, diversity was found to be maximum at Ganeshgule (N SW30 kms). Shannon-Weiner diversity index (2.259) and Margalef’s species richness index (2.502) indicated rich diversity at rocky habitats (N SW30 kms). The present study suggests the stable environmental parameters around the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) sites and is responsible for the rich benthic community. The outcome of the present study may be useful as baseline information on macrobenthos around the proposed Jaitapur NPP site

Wound Healing Ethnomedicinal Plants Popular among the Malayali Tribes in Vattal Hills, Dharmapuri, TN, India

Healing of chronic lower extremity wounds is a global problem, especially in developing countries where traditional medicine is often used by the people in remote places. India has a rich tradition of plant based knowledge pertinent to healthcare. A survey of ethnomedicinal plant species used by Malayali’s to heal cut/ wounds in Vattal Hills of Dharmapuri was made. A large number of plants/ extracts/ decoctions/ pastes are used by tribals to heal wounds, cuts and burns. In the present study, an attempt has been made to document ethnobotanical knowledge base and methods employed by Malayali’s for treatment of cut/ wounds. A large number of ethnomedicinal plants used by the Malayali’s have not been validated for wound healing potential. The present investigation resulted in the identification of 82 medicinal plant species distributed across 39 families that are used by Malayali’s to heal cut/ wounds. This study is an attempt to gather the information on the existing ethnobotanical knowledge base and document the traditional claims toward the development of safe of effective herbal drugs for cut/ wounds. Results of the study is organized in table form depicting the botanical name, family, vernacular name and habit with a brief note on plant parts used and method of administration

Bioactive DOPA melanin isolated and characterised from a marine actinobacterium <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. MVCS6 from Versova coast

<div><p>The melanin pigment produced from <i>Streptomyces</i> sp., MVCS6 was isolated and dihydroxyphenyalanine (DOPA) melanin compound was biochemically identified and spectroscopically characterised (ultraviolet and FT-IR). DOPA melanin showed a promising activity as an antibacterial natural product against 12 pathogenic bacteria from hospital isolations, particularly, against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> RMMH7 (inhibition zone of 18 ± 0.02 at 30 μg/disc, and MIC of 10 ± 0.02 μg/mL) and <i>Vibrio parahaemolytics</i> RMMH12 (inhibition zone of 15 mm ± 0.03 at 30 μg/disc, and MIC of 14 ± 0.02 μg/mL). Moreover, <i>in vitro</i> evaluation of reducing power (Ascorbic Acid Equivalent (160 μg/mL)), DPPH radical-scavenging (89%), NO-scavenging (72%) and lipid peroxidation activities (89.6%) were determined. Cytotoxicity of DOPA melanin against cervical cancer cell line showed a dose–response activity, and IC₅₀ value was found to be 300 μg/mL. These results would open the way to propose <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. MVCS6 as a promising source of bioactive eumelanin with therapeutic potential in medicine.</p></div

Robust periocular recognition in training of CNN models using HOG- based gradient approach

Automated human recognition is a difficult challenge in using incomplete faces in bio-metric computer vision. As a result, periocular detection aims to discover humans by utilizing characteristics derived from the area around the eye. The region bounded by the half of the nasal region, jawline, and apex of the brow is used for periocular identification. As seen, the periocular facial structure comprises eye edges, eyebrows, eye foldings, and texture. Addressing variability in dynamic periocular identification is required due to differences in light, topic distances, sensor variances, and indoor-outdoor variations. To address this research difficulty, a HOG-based gradient approach for training deep CNN models is presented, which aids in the creation of domain invariant embedding space