Exploration of plant biodiversity that not only withstand extreme environmental conditions but also has the potential to fulfil sustainable development goals (SDGs) is the priority for researchers. Moringa oleifera is the best-suited plant in this category. It plays a primary role in SDGs due to its versatile features like health-beneficial effects. The polyphenols found in the different parts of this plant have exhibited health-promoting benefits and served as catalysts/resources for producing valuable ingredients. The current review outlines the potential application of Moringa oleifera in biofuel production, the synthesis of green nanomaterials, and the fortification of functional foods and feed to enhance nutritional value. Besides that, the application of Moringa oleifera in pharmaceutical products and the safety considerations associated with its utilization have also been examined. Conclusively, the review comprehensively aligns towards sustainable practices in the agro-industrial sector alongside the circular bioeconomy concept.

Financial inclusion is regarded as an essential instrument for socioeconomic development. It has become a big issue in developing nations, as many people are still economically excluded. Different factors including financial literacy significantly influence financial inclusion. This study aims to determine how financial literacy impacts financial inclusion. The study area is the province of Gandaki in Nepal, from which a sample of one thousand respondents is selected for data collecting. For the study of independent and dependent variables, the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling method is applied. The examination of the data indicates that financial literacy considerably improves financial inclusion in the study region. This study concludes that financial inclusion can be improved by educating individuals on the significance of financial products and services. These findings aid policymakers in implementing financial literacy programs to improve financial inclusion.

Spices are a rich source of vitamins, polyphenols, proteins, dietary fiber, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, all of which play an important role in biological functions. Since ancient times, spices have been used in our kitchen as a food coloring agent. Spices like cinnamon and turmeric allegedly contain various functional ingredients, such as phenolic and volatile compounds. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the current knowledge about the nutritional profiles of cinnamon and turmeric, as well as to analyze the clinical studies on their extracts and essential oils in animals and humans. Furthermore, their enrichment applications for food products and animal feed have also been investigated in terms of safety and toxicity. Numerous studies have shown that cinnamon and turmeric have various health benefits, including the reduction of insulin resistance and insulin signaling pathways in diabetic patients, the reduction of inflammatory biomarkers, and the maintenance of gut microflora in both animals and humans. The food and animal feed industries have taken notice of these health benefits and have begun to promote cinnamon and turmeric as healthy foods. This has resulted in the development of new food products and animal feeds that contain cinnamon and turmeric as primary ingredients, which have been deemed an effective means of promoting cinnamon and turmeric's health benefits.

Cells produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a metabolic by-product. ROS molecules trigger oxidative stress as a feedback response that significantly initiates biological processes such as autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis. Furthermore, extensive research has revealed that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important ROS entity and plays a crucial role in several physiological processes, including cell differentiation, cell signalling, and apoptosis. However, excessive production of H2O2 has been shown to disrupt biomolecules and cell organelles, leading to an inflammatory response and contributing to the development of health complications such as collagen deposition, aging, liver fibrosis, sepsis, ulcerative colitis, etc. Extracts of different plant species, phytochemicals, and Lactobacillus sp (probiotic) have been reported for their anti-oxidant potential. In this view, the researchers have gained significant interest in exploring the potential plants spp., their phytochemicals, and the potential of Lactobacillus sp. strains that exhibit anti-oxidant properties and health benefits. Thus, the current review focuses on comprehending the information related to the formation of H2O2, the factors influencing it, and their pathophysiology imposed on human health. Moreover, this review also discussed the anti-oxidant potential and role of different extract of plants, Lactobacillus sp. and their fermented products in curbing H2O2‑induced oxidative stress in both in-vitro and in-vivo models via boosting the anti-oxidative activity, inhibiting of important enzyme release and downregulation of cytochrome c, cleaved caspases-3, − 8, and − 9 expression. In particular, this knowledge will assist R&D sections in biopharmaceutical and food industries in developing herbal medicine and probiotics-based or derived food products that can effectively alleviate oxidative stress issues induced by H2O2 generation.

The popularity of online shopping has grown in recent years as it provides benefits for both businesses and consumers. The purpose of this research is to determine the factors that influence online purchase intention among university students in Nepal. A total of 385 students are taken for data collection. The researchers use a structured questionnaire using Likert scale statements to collect the data. Both descriptive and inferential analysis such as frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling are applied. The result of factor analysis finds six factors: effort expectancy, online purchase intention, security and privacy, performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions related to online purchases. The structural equation modelling finds security and privacy, and social influence have a positive and statistically significant impact on online purchase intention. These findings emphasize the need of ensuring the security and privacy of customer data and leveraging social influence in marketing strategies to increase online purchase intention.

Effective degradation of low-concentration pollutants is a critical challenge during the water purification process. The use of different chemicals can leave residue in samples that can impose potential ecotoxicological and adverse impacts on human health. Presently, Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (M−MIPs) have attracted much attention as the research material comprises a non-magnetic polymer and magnetic material for selective binding for target molecule and recoverability of catalyst via magnetism, respectively. This review explains the synergistic effect of adsorption with photocatalysis to understand their recognition mechanism and the possible interaction between the target molecule and MIPs. Then their common imprinting polymerization processes i.e., free radical polymerization and non-free radical polymerization are briefly discussed with their respective advantages and disadvantages. In addition, this review highlights the photocatalytic degradation mechanism of photocatalyst cum adsorbent is critically discussed by comparing it with non-imprinted polymers. Finally, the applications of M−MIPs in the removal or degradation of refractory pollutants, sensing, and recognition have also been delineated. This paper summarises progressive future challenges of the technology that need to be exploited for the preparation of the targeted catalyst

Socio-economic well-being is a crucial indicator of development. It is also the ultimate goal of every country. Financial inclusion is a way of improving the well-being of people. The current study examined the effect of financial inclusion on the social and economic well-being of the households in the Kaski district, Nepal. A total of 383 respondents were taken as the sample and a researcher-administered questionnaire was used to gather data. The study used PLS-SEM in Smart-PLS to examine the relationship among the variables. The findings showed that financial inclusion has a positive and significant impact on the social and economic well-being of the households. This study concluded that the socio-economic well-being of the people could be improved by increasing financial inclusion. These findings will help the policymakers to enhance the well-being of people by increasing the accessibility, availability, and usage of financial services.

This paper aims to provide a systematic literature review on the adoption of digital financial inclusion in developing countries. A total number of 93 papers from Scopus database for the period of 2015 to 2020 were selected. The selection was done by using the inclusion and exclusion criteria based on PRISMA framework. Descriptive analysis, citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis and variable analysis were conducted in this study. This review highlights that the studies were mainly conducted in Asia and the study related to adoption of digital financial inclusion has been growing in recent years. The study finds perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are the frequently used independent variables which had positive impacts on the adoption of digital financial inclusion. This paper contributes to understanding of the existing research on adoption of digital financial inclusion in developing countries and also to find the research gaps for further research.

Among the various problems associated with environment, water pollution is a critical concern. Harmful microorganisms present in polluted water cause various dangerous diseases and ultimately lead to millions of deaths, worldwide. Various techniques like chlorination, ozonation, UV radiations etc. are used for water disinfection but most of them are either less efficient or give rise to secondary toxic products. Nowadays, photocatalysis is considered as one of the most efficient cleaner production technique for water disinfection. In the present review, we have discussed water disinfection via bismuth based photocatalysts. Most of bismuth based photocatalysts are stable, visible light active, reusable, cost-effective and non-toxic. By reviewing the current literature, we have explored the basic mechanism of bacterial inactivation via photocatalysis. Further, various bismuth based photocatalysts (bismuth oxides, bismuth sulfides, Bi2MoO6, Bi2WO6, BiVO4 and bismuth oxyhalides) for bacterial inactivation are discussed. Furthermore, due to some drawbacks of pristine photocatalysts such as charge carrier recombination, slow migration of charge carriers, low visible light absorption, etc., we have discussed the modified bismuth based photocatalysts for water disinfection. Modifications viz. heterojunction, Z-scheme, doping etc. are investigated for some important bismuth based photocatalysts. Finally, challenges against bismuth based photocatalysts and future aspects for further research are also explored.

The existence of chromium in hexavalent oxidation state is highly toxic to aquatic environment. Photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent Cr (VI) into Cr (III) has emerged as a desirable technology due to their prospect in solar energy utilization, high efficiency and low cost. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based photocatalysts are ideal for Cr (VI) reduction due to their inherent features including; visible-light responsive narrow bandgap, suitable conduction band potential, high physicochemical stability, unique optical and electronic properties. Herein, various surface-interface strategies to modify g-C3N4 including heterojunction formation, doping, structural regulation, co-catalyst loading and construction of nitrogen vacancies are elaborated for improving the Cr(VI) photoreduction efficiency. The review also highlights the effect of operational reaction conditions such solution pH, g-C3N4 dosage, Cr (VI) concentration, temperature, light source, organic acid additives and co-existing ions influencing Cr (VI) reduction efficiency. Finally, we attempt to propose the existing issues based on the current research and future aspects of engineered g-C3N4 for Cr (VI) photoreduction.

The article presents an experimental and numerical analysis of the effect of TiO2-H2O-based nanofluid flow and V-pattern protrusion rib on thermal and hydrodynamic performance in the square channel. The present geometry is selected as an integration of roughness and the nanofluid as the working medium so that better enhancement in heat transfer can be achieved with minimum pressure drop across the duct. The commercial finite volume-based CFD (computational fluid dynamics) code ANSYS Fluent is used to simulate turbulent nanofluid flow through the V-pattern protrusion ribbed square channel. The outcomes of 3D simulation are validated with the present experimental simulation outcomes and with existing well-established correlation. Detailed results about thermal and hydrodynamic performance in the V-pattern protrusion ribbed square channel are presented and discussed. The heat transfer and friction factor were evaluated for the optimum range of volume fraction, particle diameter, V-pattern protruded rib, and flow parameters. The thermohydraulic performance of the nanofluid flow square channel provided with V-pattern protruded rib is considerably enhanced. Comparison between experimental and CFD simulation results showed good agreement as the data that fell within +/- 6.0% error band.

India, with an average annual demand of 800 tonnes and some 23-24,000 tonnes of gold lying unproductive with the households and religious institutions, is the 3 largest importer of gold in the world. Much of the gold used for jewelry goes out of circulation and is not available for further economic activities, making India a net importer of gold, which adversely affects the Current Account Deficit (CAD). The government of India is attempting to reduce gold import and also to bring unproductive gold back into circulation. Launching of different gold-related schemes like Gold Exchange Traded Funds (Gold ETF), Gold Monetization Scheme (GMS), Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme (SGBS), and Indian Gold Coin/Bar Scheme (IGCBS) are some of the steps in this direction. Constrained by their decision-making environments, different people attach different levels of importance to these schemes. This study attempts to find out the households’ investment preferences for gold-backed products by conducting a survey in a culturally rich Himalayan state, Himachal Pradesh, in India. The study is aimed at ascertaining the associations between the level of investment in products mentioned above and different socio-demographic variables. The study will help policymakers formulate the right strategies to reach the target consumers of gold-backed products in a much better way. These strategies will not only help in designing appropriate awareness campaigns but also focus on allaying the fears of ordinary people in disclosing the family gold holdings. Such a plan will gradually popularize the gold-backed schemes and thus will help in achieving the desired success. The study revealed that the majority of the households prefer GMS with long term Bank Deposits, and SGBS for the perceived safe and stable returns. Gold ETF is fast catching up with GMS and SGBS. The results suggest that in the extended run, households would prefer Gold ETFs for its quality of providing a combination of safety, stability, and ease of trading benefits through the stock market. Most of the respondents opined that the government must step up the awareness creation programs and also enhance the financial literacy of people for better inclusion of gold-backed products in personal wealth management.

World over, people view gold as more liquid than other tangible assets, and its low volume & high-value nature is perceived as the most viable investment option by Indians as well. Additionally, in India, investment in gold is also influenced by various deep-rooted socio-cultural considerations. Different people may thus attach different levels of importance even to the same needs; because of different economic, and socio-cultural environments that people operate in. In India, these traditional & firmly-fixed social and cultural concerns carry a value understood to be different from that in other parts of the world; and, in fact, within different regions of the country. Finding out the households’ investment preferences for a multireligious, multicultural, and multilingual population that had remained mostly untouched by external customs will open up new vistas in research. In line with the goal, exploratory research using both quantitative and qualitative approaches was carried out in Himachal Pradesh, a traditional mountainous state in economic transition in northern India. The study is based on the sample size of 995 households selected from five districts of the state. The study faced a major challenge during the data collection stage as convincing the respondents to provide true details about gold and other investments was not easy. The research revealed that a majority of households prefer Bank Deposits and Gold Jewelry for safe and stable returns. “High preference for gold is driven by high demand and that does not auger well for a net gold importer country like India. Studies with similar results will send signals to the Government of India to formulate a ‘National Policy on Gold’ to properly regulate investment in gold. Gold ETF is fast catching up with Bank Deposits, Gold Jewelry, and Life Insurance Policies as investment options in the state. The results suggest that households’ investment preferences can shift towards Gold ETF in the long run as it provides a combination of safety, stability, and ease of trading through the stock markets. This shift will ultimately lead to lower demand for gold which will strengthen the Indian economy due to a reduction in imports. The study indicates a high preference for gold jewelry and at the same time rising preference for gold ETFs.

This work deals with the experimental investigation on heat transfer, friction factor, and thermal hydraulic performance of V-pattern dimpled obstacles in an air passage. The experiments were conducted in a turbulent flow regime with Reynolds number dRe_ranging from 5,000 to 17,000 using air as the working fluid under uniform wall heat flux boundary condition. The experimental investigation encompassed the geometrical parameter, namely relative dimpled obstacles widthdWc= Wd_varying from 1: 0 to 6: 0, ratio of dimpled depth to print diameter (ed= dd) from 0.50 to 2.0, relative dimpled pitch (Pb= ed) from 8.0 to11.0, relative dimpled heightded= Dh_of 0.037, and the angle of attack (aa) varying from 35 to 75 . The experimental results revealed that both heat transfer and friction factor of the air passage fitted with the V-pattern dimpled obstacles were significantly higher than those of the smooth-surface air passage. The optimum data of thermal and hydraulic performance were obtained at Wc= Wd 5: 0, ed= dd 1.0, Pb= ed = 9.0, ed= Dh= 0.037, and aa= 55. The current study shows that the thermal hydraulic performance of multi-type V-pattern dimpled obstacles shape is around 7% higher as compared to other obstacles shapes air passage.

The main focus of this study was to examine the level of job satisfaction of employees of the ICICI bank in their organizational context. A convenient sample of employees at selected six branches of the ICICI bank in the state of Himachal Pradesh was used. It comprised of eighty employees. A five point Likert Scale questionnaire containing fifteen questions extracted from the short form of Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was administered for data collection. Besides, questions on personal characteristics, the questionnaire included important dimensions of organizational structure. The results obtained from analysis of data revealed that salary, inter-personal relationship, communication, attitude of superiors, working conditions and team work have more bearing than the factors of training and development, rewards and compensation, nature of job, job security, morale and role clarity in determining job satisfaction of employees of the ICICI bank in Himachal Pradesh. Some suggestions for further research and improving were also made.