Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, formerly Agra University, is a state university located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. The university is named after Bhimrao Ambedkar, Indian scholar, social reformer, and the architect of the Indian Constitution.
PurposeGig platforms are progressively accepted as the potential catalyst for redefining the employment landscape. Studies call for exploring how well the platforms govern and connect users to create value. The literature explores platform governance through diverse facets; however, it lacks a comprehensive measurement tool to study the attributes of the Gig Platform Governance (GPG) and the workforce perception. This research aims to develop and validate a scale that measures workers' perception of the web-based GPG.Design/methodology/approachThis study follows a robust scale development process - construct conceptualisation, item generation, content validity, factor exploration and confirmation using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and nomological testing. Data collected in phases across multiple gig platforms (total n = 1,432, comprising 9 samples) were used for scale validation. Scale testing and validation were conducted on IBM SPSS and SmartPLS 4.1.FindingsTwenty-two items subsumed in 4 dimensions - (1) platform strategies and policies, (2) technical architecture standards, (3) participation and community building and (4) the platform ecosystem - represent the higher-order GPG scale. Subsequent analysis revealed that workers' perception of GPG positively influences the attributes of dignity. Results demonstrate the suitability of the proposed scale in measuring workers' perception of GPG with good reliability and validity.Originality/valueThis study contributes a novel scale for measuring workers' perception of GPG. The scale captures structural, technological, participatory and ecosystem regulation perspectives of GPG. The scale can be used as a valuable tool by research scholars, practitioners and policy makers for advancing theoretical knowledge and applications in the domain of the gig platform landscape.
Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality due to late diagnosis, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Epigenetic modifications rewire the cytokine network, facilitating the development, progression, and chemoresistance of GC. Cytokines regulate immune and inflammatory responses through various pathways, including the IL-6/JAK/STAT pathway, MAP Kinase, NF-κB signaling, IL-8/NF-κB, and the TGF-β axis, which sustain persistent inflammation and oncogenic signaling. The expression of these regulatory molecules is tightly controlled by epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and miRNA sponging. In addition, this is influenced by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), which impact the tumor microenvironment and tumor survival. H. pylori and EBV further remodel cytokine epigenetic networks, promoting tumor progression. LncRNA and circRNAs can play dual roles, acting as both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive agents, where oncogenic ncRNAs, via drug efflux, apoptosis inhibition, autophagy, PD-L1 stabilization, and CSC maintenance, whereas tumor-suppressive ncRNAs restore chemosensitivity and antitumor immunity by reactivating PTEN, MHC-I, and apoptosis, proving to be promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Various clinical trials are also discussed in this review.
Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule in maintaining normal physiological processes like blood flow, neurotransmission and immune regulation. In cancer, it exhibits a dual role in context-dependent mechanism. At low levels, it activates angiogenesis, migration and tumor promotion; on the other hand, with an increase in concentration, it promotes apoptosis and has an anti-metastatic effect. Hence, regulated levels of NO are required to maintain normal hemostasis. NO has temporal and spatial regulation as its pro- and anti-metastatic effects are decided by the tumor stage, tumor microenvironment, and nitric oxide synthase isoforms expression. NO regulates EMT markers like upregulation of Snail, Twist, and ZEB1 (pro-EMT factors and downregulation of E-cadherin. NO also regulates the crosstalk between signaling factors, such as TGF-β, Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB; during EMT and hypoxia-induced angiogenesis. NO promotes immunosuppression and metastasis by interacting with tumor-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which express iNOS. NO activates cancer promotion pathways like NF-κB, upregulates pro-metastatic genes (MMPs, cytokines), PI3K/Akt/mTOR and p53/Nrf2, along with regulating non-coding RNAs. Thus, NO is a potential target in cancer therapeutics and reviews focus on the new advancements using NO as a potential biomarker and therapeutic agent.
Extreme temperatures can stunt plant growth, lowering crop productivity. Radiation-processed natural polysaccharides like carrageenan, sodium alginate, and chitosan trigger plant defense mechanisms to reduce stress from drought, salinity, and high temperatures. This study examined the stress-relieving effects of foliar gamma-irradiated natural polysaccharides (ICA, ISA, and ICH) at 80, 60, and 80 mg L-1 on lemongrass grown at 30 degrees C (Control), 40 degrees C, and 45 degrees C. This study demonstrated that high temperature stress (40 degrees C and 45 degrees C) severely influences lemongrass development, essential oil yield, and its active constituents. The greatest loss was 17.23% in plant height and 34.60% in dry weight at 45 degrees C. At 45 degrees C, essential oil yield and total citral content% decline by 32.37% and 11.73%, respectively, from the control group. ICA, ISA, and ICH foliar-spray treatments minimized high-temperature stress by enhancing plants' antioxidant defense system, improving all metrics compared to 40 degrees C, 45 degrees C, and water-spray control. A foliar spray of ICA, ISA, and ICH increased plant height and dry weight by (10.5%, 10.4%), (19.7%, 26.1%), and (8.1%, 9.3%) at 45 degrees C respectively. Foliar ICA, ISA, and ICH also increased EOY by (29.7%, 54.8%, and 62.5%) and total citral content by (8.5%, 10.2%, and 10.6%) at 45 degrees C, respectively. Thus, ICA, ISA, and ICH may alleviate lemongrass and other economically significant crop temperature stress. These biopolymers can serve as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals. The molecular mechanisms controlling their signalling pathways and gene expression effects are unknown. To understand structure-function correlations and optimize irradiation techniques, future studies should combine omics and molecular modelling.
The traditional approach of converting secret digital images into cipher images draws attention of third parties regarding the presence of some secret data behind the encrypted images. To prevent detection by the attackers, a visually meaningful encryption (VME) technique converts secret digital images into noise-like patterns. It conceals these pattern within the carrier data using steganographic methods, thereby avoiding the attention drawn by third parties to traditional encrypted images. In this paper, we introduce a novel and robust authentication-based visually meaningful image encryption (VMIE) scheme, achieved through the integration of a public key-based digital signature and encryption using chaotic maps, along with a lifting wavelet transformation (LWT) enabled embedding scheme. The scheme first achieves partial encryption using the public key cryptosystem and the 3D logistic map. The resulting ciphered image is then used to generate a digital signature, which is encrypted further by using the MRMAC. Finally, the chaotic key sequences from 3D logistic map employed to complete the encryption, followed by embedding into a carrier image using LWT. The novelty of the proposed scheme lies in the use of digital signatures, which not only verify integrity but also enhance the quality of encryption. Embedding through shuffling in the sub-band increases the security level compared to direct embedding. All the obtained VME images achieve strong imperceptibility and concealment for the encrypted data. The proposed technique’s robustness, efficiency and secrecy are verified through the security and statistical analysis. Additionally, comparison analysis demonstrates that efficiency and robustness become superior to some recent techniques. Additionally, it offers a high-quality reconstruction capability, while ensuring the quality of secrecy in visual encryption and facilitating proper decryption without data loss.
