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An Analysis of Road Dust Samples to Understand the Influence of Vehicle Density on the Heavy Metal Accumulation in Kannur District, Kerala, India

The present study is an attempt to assess the heavy metal buildup in road dust samples of heavy traffic areas of Narath Panchayath, Kannur district. Samples have been collected from the roadside and are analyzed using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy technique. The study also deals with health effects associated with heavy metal accumulation in the study area by calculating and interpreting the various hazard index parameters such as contamination factor, enrichment factor, geo-accumulation index, pollution load index, and degree of contamination. The concentration of heavy metals such as Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb has been quantified and reported in the ppb units. It is observed that the study area has a specific higher concentration of Fe and a lower concentration of Cd. The index parameters were calculated from the observed concentration of heavy metals and thereby pollution rate is understood. The study indicates that the metallic dust emitted from the vehicles significantly contributed to the heavy metal concentration in the area. The buildup of heavy metals is also influenced by traffic density, weather conditions, and human and industrial activities in that area. The detailed results and discussion of the present systematic investigation are given in the manuscript.

Social Anxiety as a Function of Shyness and Locus of Control

In adolescence many children experience social anxiety in new social situations where they always try to avoid crowd. They always worry doing something they think is embarrassing such as blushing, sweating or appearing incompetent. They also find it difficult to do things when others are watching because they might feel they are being watched and judged all the time, fear of being criticized or have low self-esteem. Shyness is common which refers to feeling uncomfortable in social situations. If someone feels shy, still can motivate themselves to perform the work required. But someone with social anxiety can affect someone’s quality of life. And locus of control refers to the extent to which individuals believe they can control events affecting them. This study was done to investigate how social anxiety correlates with shyness and locus of control among the adolescence. Comparative study was done and the results show that there is correlation between shyness and locus of control but no significant correlation between social anxiety and locus of control.

Reasons for Migration and Socio-Economic Status of Migrant Construction Workers in North India

In a population of 20,000 migrant construction workers in selected strata in Gurgaon and New Delhi, 2670 samples were examined. The socioeconomic status of migrant construction workers and various reasons for migration were investigated. An extensive number of village youngsters, including minors, were employed as migratory construction labourers, according to the exploratory research and case study. The leading causes of young migration to cities are poverty, a lack of employment opportunities, and the children’s requirements in terms of health and education. Their exposure to government social programmes is insufficient, and their saving habits were found to be highly unbalanced.

Employee Retention Strategies Adopted by Companies in Kerala: A Case Study

Employee retention is the systematic effort to retain the current employees by providing best policies and to recognize various expectations of the employees. The challenge is not only to attract the talented employees and to retain them. This study analyzed the organizational factors influencing the employee retention and revealed individual factors leading employees to leave the organization and examined the necessary conditions to retain the employees. The major findings derived from the analysis precisely discloses that the respondents are satisfied with compensation benefits and working environment, the employees feel that their work load is fairly distributed.

Health Care Equity: An Analysis of Ayushman Bharat: A National Health Protection Scheme in India

Purpose: The aim of the study is to assess how Ayushman Bharat’s introduction aims to realize the vision of healthcare coverage for the socially and economically disadvantaged and assess the program based on the assistance it provides to individuals.

Design/methodology/approach: The study aims to analyze Ayushman Bharat’s Health and Wellness Centers (HWC) and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) programs in light of their difficulties, drawbacks, and effects on different states. As a result, the study adopts a case study methodology

Findings: Ayushman Bharat (AB-HWCs and ABPMJAY) can accomplish its core goals of providing comprehensive coverage to the vulnerable population and lowering catastrophic healthcare costs, according to a closer examination of the implementation of the initiatives and performance over the past year. The current state of public health services, the imbalanced healthcare infrastructure in metropolitan areas, the limited involvement of the private sector, and the ability of the initiative to quickly adapt to new and developing restrictions, however, may limit the reach and results of the initiative.

Originality: Since health risks are among the biggest threats to poor people’s capacity to support themselves, achieving health equity is essential to the battle against poverty. By analyzing an innovative healthcare funding model to enable health equity from a developing country, India, the study brings value.