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To find the reliability characteristics of repairable weighted (u, v)- out-of-(x, y) system using the interval valued universal generating function (IUGF).

In this paper (u, v)-out-of-(x, y) system is an extension of the k-out-of-n system. Here, the interval valued universal generating function (UGF) is present and the corresponding operators are defined.

The present paper proposes a interval valued universal generating function (IUGF) to compute the reliability indices of the considered system. The current study investigates the reliability and sensitivity of the proposed system with respect to system parameters by applying Markov process with the help of the interval valued UGF approach.

In this work, the considered system, i.e. repairable weighted (u, v)-of-the- (x, y) is the extension of k-out-of-n system for the assessment of reliability characteristics using the interval valued UGF.

The present paper focuses on the evaluation of reliability and its characteristics (Mean time to failure and Sensitivity) of a k-out-of-n network.

The minimal cuts of the network have been evaluated for different nodes in this paper, using an algorithm. With the help of these cuts, reliability and its characteristics are obtained using Gumbel–Hougaard family of the copula.

The present paper proposes to compute the reliability and its measures of the k-out-of-n network using the minimal cuts and copula methodology. The completely failed nodes of the network have been repaired using Gumbel–Hougaard family of the copula.

In this paper, the reliability of a k-out-of-n network has been evaluated by first calculating k-out-of-n minimal cuts, and the failed nodes have also been repaired using Gumbel–Hougaard family of the copula, unlike as done in the past.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate various reliability measures like reliability, expected lifetime (mean time to failure), signature reliability and compare networks based on the different flows.

The reliability characteristics of complex bridge networks have been evaluated using different algorithms with the help of universal generating function (UGF). Further, the signature reliability of the considered networks has been determined using Owen’s method.

The present paper proposes an efficient algorithm to compute the reliability indices of complex bridge networks having i.i.d. lifetime components (nodes, edges) with the help of UGF and Owen’s method. This study reveals that a slight change in the complex bridge network affects the reliability significantly. Finally, by the reliability structure function, proposed algorithms are used to find the signature and MTTF. From signature, we have determined the different failure probabilities corresponding to edges of the network.

In this work, we have evaluated reliability characteristics and signature reliability of the complex bridge networks using UGF method and Owen’s method respectively unlike done in the past.

Flowers and fruits of Madhuca longifolia (Koenig) (mahua) tree are edible and used as traditional Indian medicines. The physicochemical properties of different parts of mahua are investigated. This study aims to estimate the different mineral contents, polyphenols compounds and antioxidant activities by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl inhibition, reducing power, free radical scavenging activity using 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays of mahua flower, ripe and unripe fruit.

Flavonoids were identified and quantified in yellow flowers and fruits of M. longifolia tree by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector. Low molecular weight carbohydrates were determined by the ICBio scan, a specific method for determining of carbohydrates. Mineral content is determined by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Physicochemical, nutritional and mineral properties of mahua flower, ripe and unripe fruit were investigated by the statistical approach of principal component analysis (PCA).

Ascorbic acid, gallic acid (GA), quercetin and myrcetin were the phenolic compounds identified and quantified in mahua flower and fruit extracts. Sugar profiling of mahua flowers and fruits confirmed the presence of inositol, sorbitol, mannitol, dextrose, fructose, sucrose, raffinose and maltose. The mineral content of Na, K, Mg and Ca was present in quite a good amount in all samples. Total phenolic content (TPC) was significantly high in mahua flower (25.3 ± 1.0 mg GA equivalent/g FW) followed by mahua unripe (15.8 ± 1.0 mg GA equivalent/g FW) and ripe fruit (14.3 ± 1.0 mg GA equivalent/g FW) at p = 5%. In contrast, total flavonoid contents (TFCs) were highest in ripe fruit, then mahua flower and unripe fruit. Positive correlations were predicted by PCA for mahua flower with TPC, antioxidant activity assays and minerals except for Na; ripe fruit with TFC and Na; and unripe fruit with maltose and sorbitol.

This study demonstrates the application of LIBS for the determination of elements present in the mahua flowers and fruits and reveals that mahua can be a good source of nutrients. Sugar profiling of mahua flower showed that it is a rich source of reducing and non-reducing sugar, proving that mahua flower juice can be used as a natural sweetener in the development of different food products, namely, biscuits, cookies, cake, jam, jelly, juice and squash.

The purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding of customer-brand relationships in the international marketplace, and empirically investigates and compares the customer-brand relationship development process between Indian and Chinese markets. In detail, four out of Hofstede’s original five national culture dimensions were adopted as moderators in the process of customer-brand relationship development between two markets.

To test hypotheses, responses from 539 Indian and 400 Chinese mobile phone consumer samples were achieved, and the proposed model was estimated by using structural equations based on the partial least squares algorithm.

The results demonstrate that utilitarian value and brand affect play a significant role in building brand loyalty for Chinese consumers, while hedonic value and perceived risk contribute more in building brand loyalty for Indian consumers.

This study indicated that the cultural difference affects both on brand trust formation and on the relationship between brand trust/affect and brand loyalty, implying that more customized brand management strategies should be adopted.

Global brand values must be communicated for each culture appropriately. It is desirable that the identified match, utilitarian value-Chinese customers and hedonic value-Indian customers, be consistently presented to each cultural market in a more integrative manner.

This study identified that the route from the development of value proposition to building up brand trust and brand affect is a critical step toward achieving brand loyalty in Indian and Chinese markets.

This research aims to extract Industry 4.0 technological building blocks (TBBs) capable of value generation in collaborative consumption (CC) and the sharing economy (SE). Furthermore, by employing a mixed methodology, this research strives to analyse the relationship amongst TBBs and classify them based on their impact on CC.

Due to the importance of technology for the survival of collaborative consumption in the future, this study suggests a classification of the auxiliary and fundamental Industry 4.0 technologies and their current upgrades, such as the metaverse or non-fungible tokens (NFT). First, by applying a systematic literature review and thematic analysis (SLR-TA), the authors extracted the TBBs that impact on collaborative consumption and SE. Then, using the Bayesian best-worst method (BBWM), TBBs are weighted and classified using experts’ opinions. Eventually, a score function is proposed to measure organisations’ readiness level to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies.

The findings illustrated that virtual reality (VR) plays a vital role in CC and SE. Of the 11 TBBs identified in the CC and SE, VR was selected as the most determinant TBB and metaverse was recognised as the least important. Furthermore, digital twins, big data and VR were labelled as “fundamental”, and metaverse, augmented reality (AR), and additive manufacturing were stamped as “discretional”. Moreover, cyber-physical systems (CPSs) and artificial intelligence (AI) were classified as “auxiliary” technologies.

With an in-depth investigation, this research identifies TBBs of Industry 4.0 with the capability of value generation in CC and SE. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that identifies and examines the TBBs of Industry 4.0 in the CC and SE sectors and examines them. Furthermore, a novel mixed method has identified, weighted and classified pertinent technologies. The score function that measures the readiness level of each company to adopt TBBs in CC and SE is a unique contribution.

Statelessness is the worst possible form of violation of fundamental human rights which can lead to improper health systems management and serious adverse health outcomes in children. To address this, the Thai Cabinet introduced the Health Insurance for People with Citizenship Problem (HIPCP) in 2010. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between insurance affiliations and the health status of stateless children insured with the HIPCP. The presence of pneumonia was selected as a proxy for health status. The comparison groups were Thai children insured with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) which was launched in 2002 and the uninsured children of low-skilled migrants in Thailand.

A retrospective study was conducted at four selected district hospitals: Mae Ramat Hospital, Phop Phra Hospital, Tha Song Yang Hospital and Umphang Hospital in Tak Province, located in northwestern Thailand. The study used the medical records of children aged 0-15 years who were admitted to the aforementioned hospitals between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2017. Multivariate logistic regression model was applied with a binary response variable (ever diagnosed with pneumonia: yes/no). Exposure was three types of insurance status (uninsured, HIPCP and UCS) while covariates were age, sex, domicile and year of hospitalization of children.

Of 7,098 hospitalized children between 2013 and 2017, 1,313 were identified with pneumonia. After controlling for key covariates, multivariate results depicted that the odds of pneumonia was 4 per cent higher in stateless children insured with the HIPCP as compared with uninsured children but non-significant (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.040, 95 per cent confidence interval [CI] = [0.526, 2.160], p = 0.916). Similarly, the odds of pneumonia was 10 per cent higher in Thai children insured with the UCS as compared with uninsured children but non-significant (AOR = 1.100, 95 per cent CI = [0.594, 2.180], p = 0.767). The children who were hospitalized in 2017 were 26 per cent more likely to have pneumonia as compared with those who were hospitalized in 2013 with statistical significance (AOR = 1.260, 95 per cent CI = [1.000, 1.580], p = 0.050). Results remained robust after performing sensitivity analyses.

This study suggests that health insurance is not associated with the health status of vulnerable children especially in the presence of multiple health interventions for uninsured and/or undocumented children living along the Thai–Myanmar border area. Further experimental studies are warranted to understand the causal relationship between insurance and health outcomes and to overcome the limitations of this observational study.

This study has discovered that age and domicile of children are independently associated with pneumonia. In comparison with the youngest age group (0-1 year), the older age groups presented a significantly lower odds for pneumonia. The children living in Phop Phra, Tha Song Yang and Umphang districts revealed a reduced risk for pneumonia as compared with children living in Mae Ramat district.

The purpose of this study is to monitor suspended particulate matter (SPM), PM2.5 and source apportionment study for the identification of possible sources during the year 2018–2019 at Raipur, India.

Source apportionment study was performed using a multivariate receptor model, positive matrix factorization (PMFv5.0) with a view to identify the various possible sources of particulate matter in the area. Back-trajectory analysis was also performed using NOAA-HYSPLIT model to understand the origin and trans-boundary movement of air mass over the sampling location.

Daily average SPM and PM2.5 aerosols mass concentration was found to be 377.19 ± 157.24 µg/m³ and 126.39 ± 37.77 µg/m³ respectively. SPM and PM2.5 mass concentrations showed distinct seasonal cycle; SPM – (Winter ; 377.19 ±157.25 µg/m?) > (Summer; 283.57 ±93.18 µg/m?) > (Monsoon; 33.20 ±16.32 µg/m?) and PM2.5 – (Winter; 126.39±37.77 µg/m³) > (Summer; 75.92±12.28 µg/m³). Source apportionment model (PMF) have been applied and identified five major sources contributing the pollution; steel production and industry (68%), vehicular and re-suspended road dust (10.1%), heavy oil combustion (10.1%), tire wear and brake wear/abrasion (8%) and crustal/Earth crust (3.7%). Industrial activities have been identified as major contributing factor for air quality degradation in the region.

Chemical characterization of aerosols and identification of possible sources will be helpful in abatement of pollution and framing mitigating strategies. It will also help in standardization of global climate model.

The findings provide valuable results to be considered for controlling air pollution in the region.

The purpose of this paper is to outline the present status of various fermented foods and beverages across the globe and reviews on the microbiology and therapeutic effects of fermented foods.

Fermented foods play an important socio-economic role in developing countries as well as making a major contribution to the nutrition requirements of natural populations. These foods have attracted attention all over the world as foods that might promote longevity. The approach is based on observations of online research with respect to fermented foods and their origins, analysis of research papers in journals and systematic research on the microbiology and health benefits of fermented products.

In general, traditional fermented foods produced with indigenous practices throughout the world are made under primitive conditions, which result in low yield and poor quality. But since, these foods are not only traditional but also functional foods. They are experiencing a burst of popularity as health foods worldwide. The raw materials traditionally used for fermentation are as diverse as: fruits, cereals, vegetables, milk, meat, and fish. It is possible to obtain a large variety of different food products by selecting different raw materials, starter cultures, and fermentation conditions.

The paper offers a holistic view that would guide a reader to identify various fermented products and enlighten them about their therapeutic properties.

This paper aims to review the recent advances in processing and utilization of Madhuca longifolia flowers to address its potential as an industrial ingredient.

The paper analyzes the harvesting practices of flowers and recent works on the value addition.

Mahua flowers are rich source of natural sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc.) and hence are deliberately used for liquor production by tribal besides various food products, namely, Mahua ladoo, barfi, kheer, sweet puri and as grain staple. Mahuain medicine has been curing people since ages such as in rakhtpitta, diarrhoea and skin diseases and as aphrodisiac, galactagogue, carminative, antihelmenthic, antibacterial and antioxidant. Mahua candy, cake, ready to serve beverages, toffee, squash, ladoo, bars, etc. have been developed as value-added products. However, such a wonderful nature’s gift remains underused due to post harvest spoilage.

Improvement in storage facilities and processing of flowers after harvesting and drying will lead to enhanced availability of flowers for industrial purposes for food, feed and fodder. More value-added products can be prepared by the preparation of flower-juice concentrate, as well as efforts are made to produce powder from the flowers.

Post-harvest spoilage of Mahua flowers due to improper collection and handling practices, and filthy storage conditions is the major limitation of Mahua flowers to be used as a potential industrial ingredient. An improvement in collection, handling and pre-processing practices can diversify its use from liquor production to various value-added and functional food products at an industrial scale.