Would You Mind, If We Record This? Perceptions on Regulation and Responsibility among Indian Nanoscientists

Looking at our knowledge of the risks associated with nanotechnology, one wonders to what degree should its products and applications be regulated? Do we need any governing body to regulate nanotechnology research and development? Do individuals have a right to know to make informed decisions through labelling mechanism? The question of regulation and responsibility in the interaction between science, technology and society is one of the most pressing issues. Risks and regulations regarding nanoscience and nanotechnology are mostly debated amongst policy-makers and not amongst the nanoscientists, who actually produce the new science. Thus, the paper makes an attempt to contribute significantly to an increased body of knowledge regarding how scientists think and talk about science. Little has been documented about perceptions of nanotechnology regulation and responsibility in developing countries. Given the importance of perceptions in the genetically-modified foods debate, the way nanotechnology is perceived holds serious repercussions for the framing of its ethical, legal and social implications. Through a field-survey that records the opinions of leading Indian nanoscientists, the paper examines scientists' perceptions about nanotech-regulation. Such discussion is imperative to address technological risks and uncertainties. The paper further explores whether scientists have different views on what responsibility amounts to and under what conditions one is responsible. Though the study has considered Indian nanoscientists due to access issues, the research questions raised and addressed in this study are universal in nature.     

Workplace Spirituality and Workforce Agility: A Psychological Exploration Among Teaching Professionals

Learning organizations are in dire need of teaching professionals eager to develop and grow up fast while maintaining a positive aura around them. An agile workforce consists of upbeat, adjustable, supple, adventurous and pliant employees who perceive life optimistically and flaunt an open mind to gather wisdom for personal development; have better analytical skills; can acclimatize continuously with the changing work environment. Teachers are the soul of any academic institution, and there is an urgent need to cultivate an agile teaching workforce by assisting them to be psychologically empowered. The key purpose of the present study is to establish a relationship between workplace spirituality (WS) and workforce agility (WA) among teaching professionals. The current research article proposes a model or conceptual framework linking the components of WS, WA and psychological empowerment (PSYEMP) in educational organizations. This is an original work that proposes a model where WS has an impact upon the WA of teaching professionals through the mediating effect of PSYEMP. WS is thus an emerging paradigm for augmenting the agility of teaching workforce in educational organizations. Future implications on ways to enhance the agility of teaching professionals are further recommended.

     

Influence of Social Environment on Young Carers,Assistance and Consequences of Caregiving

The study examines (a) the influence of family environment on young carers’ mind, (b) the assistance young carers provide, and (c) the consequences of young caregiving. Fifty child-carers and 50 child-non-carers were studied. Each child of both the groups was asked to construct stories seeing visuals and only the child-carers replied to open-ended questions on assistance and consequences of caregiving. Content analysis of stories reveals that the caregivers express more nurturance, endurance, sympathy, affiliation, anxiety, dejection, awareness, aggression, harm avoidance, and conflict than the non-carers. Child-carers are found assisting in domestic and emotional caring. They have also reported low concentration, insecurity, distrust, worry, and negative consequences. Findings suggest that caregiving environment exerts a potential influence in the minds of children than the non-caregiving environment. While caregiving teaches positive values, it has negative consequences as well.     

Effect of Si on the formation and stability of the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase in Al–Fe–Cr–Ti alloys

The formation and stability of the quasicrystalline icosahedral (i) phase in melt-spun Al_{93– x} Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂Si _x (x?=?0–5) ribbons are reported. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy. Primitive (P-type) ordered i phase particles were found to be homogeneously distributed in an fcc α-Al matrix in the as-melt-spun ribbons. The size of the i phase particles decreased and their thermal stability increased with increasing substitution of Al by Si. The i phase had a decomposition temperature of approximately 480°C in an Al₉₃Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂ ribbon whereas that in an Al₉₂Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂Si₁ ribbon was approximately 500°C. The i phase particles are resistant to coarsening prior to decomposition into crystalline phases. The presence of a small quantity of Si (up to 1.0?at.%) is beneficial to both the thermal stability and the hardness of nanoquasicrystalline Al–Fe–Cr–Ti alloys.