UPI and Consumer Spending Behaviour in India: A Narrative Synthesis of Secondary Data and Existing Survey Evidence

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The system with annual processing of over 24,000 crore transactions and making up a significant proportion of real-time global payments. Despite the existence of many studies on the factors contributing to UPI adoption, little academic scrutiny has been directed towards how UPI usage, which is effortless and invisible, relates to the psychological and behavioral aspects of consumer behavior. In this regard, this paper presents a narrative synthesis of the connection between UPI usage and consumer behavior in India, drawing on secondary data sources based on official transactional level records (NPCI, RBI, PIB) and a review of five earlier survey studies conducted between 2024 and 2025, involving over 800 participants in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and India-wide surveys. The discussion is grounded in concepts from behavioral finance, especially the ‘pain of paying’ theory and mental accounting, along with technological adoption theories including UTAUT and Diffusion of Innovation theory. The results demonstrate a clear trend Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which came to fruition in 2016 under the aegis of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has become the bedrock of India’s retail payments among independent research studies where usage of UPI has been shown to be associated with greater transaction volumes, reduced average ticket value, and an admitted rise in expenditure by the majority of users, especially among young and tech-savvy users in cities, although the extent of this trend differs from study to study (from 58 percent to over 74 percent of those who admit increased expenditure). The paper ends with some policy recommendations for regulators, banks, and fintech developers regarding the trade-off between the benefits of financial inclusion and the dangers of overspending and lack of savings discipline.

Beliefs About Protection Against Sexually Transmitted Infections Attributed to Emergency Contraception Among University Students

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Objective: To describe beliefs about protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) attributed to oral emergency contraception among university students.

Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study included 377 records from a survey conducted in 2025. Responses to a question about protection against STIs, sources of information on contraceptive methods, and demographic characteristics were analyzed. Absolute frequencies and percentages were calculated without hypothesis testing.

Results: Participants included 254 women (67.4%) and 123 men (32.6%). A total of 264 students (70.0%) selected the response indicating no protection against STIs; 113 (30.0%) attributed some protection to the medication. The most frequent misconception was that it protects against vaginal infections (70; 18.6%). The internet was the most frequently reported information source (233; 61.8%), followed by school (92; 24.4%). Among those reporting the internet, 76 (32.6%) selected a response attributing protection against infections.

Conclusions: Three in ten participants attributed protection against infections to emergency contraception. The findings support proposing educational content that distinguishes pregnancy prevention from STI prevention. They do not establish sexual behaviors or causal effects of information sources.

A Role of Siddha Medicine in the Management of Vathasthambam: A Case Report

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Vathasthambam is commonly affects middle age individual and characterized by aggravated Vatham, penetrating or boring pain, low back pain radiating to the posterior aspect of the thigh, swelling, numbness and bow like stiffness. Based on the similarities of its clinical manifestations Vathasthambam can be correlated with Sciatica. This case reported a 30-year-old male patient who has 10-days history of Vathasthambam like symptoms following trauma. The patient received Siddha internal and external therapies with an integrated Siddha treatment protocol for 15 days. The patient was treated with internal medicines namely, pavalamalli ilai kudineer, Mudakku and Thripala chooranams along with external therapies including ennai seelai, Thokkanam and vedhu. Clinical outcomes were assessed before and after treatment using pain intensity, tenderness, walking distance, Straight Leg Raise (SLR) test and other relevant clinical examinations and selected Siddha diagnostic parameters. These observations indicate improvement in symptoms and clinical findings during the treatment period. However, as an uncontrolled single case, spontaneous recovery, regression to the mean, and placebo effects cannot be excluded. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis generating rather than evidence of treatment efficacy. Controlled clinical studies using standardized outcome measures and appropriate safety required. After 15 days of treatment, the recorded symptom score improved from 11 to 1, and the SLR and Slump tests became negative. This case suggests that Siddha therapeutic interventions may effective in the management of Vathasthambam, providing significant pain relief and functional improvement without any observed adverse effects. However further well-designed clinical studies with large sample sizes are required to establish efficacy and safety of this intervention. However, the report does not provide a structured adverse event monitoring method. The case therefore supports the feasibility of documenting an integrated Siddha treatment protocol in a patient with Vathasthambam, but it cannot establish efficacy of safety.

The Impact of Fintech and Personal Values on Investment Decisions of Individual Investors in The Vietnamese Stock Market

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This study examines the simultaneous impact of Financial Technology (Fintech) and Personal Values on the investment decisions of individual investors in the Vietnamese stock market. The research model integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the Personal Values Theory. Survey data collected from 382 individual investors in Vietnam were analyzed using SPSS software. Empirical results indicate that Fintech factors (Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Technology Trust) and Personal Values (Self-Concept, Risk Propensity) all have statistically significant positive impacts on Investment Decisions. Among these, Perceived Usefulness of Fintech exerts the strongest influence. On this basis, the study proposes policy and managerial implications for securities firms, Fintech developers, and state regulatory authorities.

A Literature Review of Succession Planning and Talent Development for Underrepresented Groups in the Construction Industry

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This study examines the current state of research on succession planning, talent development, and diversity inclusion within the construction industry, with particular attention to underrepresented groups. The review synthesizes scholarly and industry literature that highlights the strategic importance of succession planning and talent development for organizational sustainability, leadership continuity, and workforce competitiveness. Existing studies emphasize the need to integrate diversity and inclusion initiatives with business and human resource strategies to strengthen leadership pipelines and organizational performance. However, the literature reveals a significant gap in research addressing the development, advancement, and succession planning of minority and underrepresented populations within construction organizations. Findings indicate that succession planning practices in the construction sector remain inconsistent and lack widely accepted standards, while labor shortages and an aging workforce continue to challenge industry sustainability. The review further explores diversity management through the lens of dynamic capabilities theory, identifying mentoring, networking, internship, and career-track succession programs as critical mechanisms for improving workforce diversity and inclusion. The chapter concludes that construction organizations must adopt systematic, diversity-focused succession planning frameworks and establish measurable diversity indicators to evaluate progress toward equitable leadership development. Additional research is needed to better understand and address barriers affecting the advancement of underrepresented groups in the construction industry.

Retrospective Bench-Scale Screening of Six Phosphate Concentrates for Wet-Process Phosphoric Acid Production

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Variability in phosphate-concentrate chemistry can affect sulfuric acid demand, phosphorus recovery, calcium sulfate formation, and solid–liquid separation during wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA) production. This study presents a retrospective, quality-controlled reanalysis of a historical bench-scale campaign comprising six coded phosphate concentrates (PQH-001 to PQH-006). Each concentrate was represented by one complete WPA bench test; accordingly, comparisons are descriptive rather than inferential. Feed P₂O₅ ranged from 27.59 to 30.55 wt%, whereas the minor-elements ratio (MER = 100 × (Al₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃ + MgO)/P₂O₅) ranged from 7.12 to 16.83%. The surviving records documented 98 wt% sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and gypsum streams, filtration calculations, and duplicate hydrochloric acid attack tests, but did not preserve several operating variables required for mechanistic attribution. Observed P₂O₅ recovery ranged from 94.68 to 97.99%. The highest-grade feed, PQH-004 (30.55 wt% P₂O₅), showed the lowest recovery (94.68%) and the highest residual P₂O₅ in dry gypsum (1.083 wt%), demonstrating that feed grade alone did not rank performance in this campaign. PQH-005 showed the most favorable observed combination of metrics: 97.99% recovery, 0.405 wt% P₂O₅ in dry gypsum, a filtration index of 185.3 kg h⁻¹ m⁻², and sulfuric-acid use of 2.603 t H₂SO₄/t feed P₂O₅, approximately 1% above the CaO-only stoichiometric benchmark. A stoichiometric QA/QC audit identified the reported PQH-003 acid addition as chemically inconsistent, and its filtration result was also non-defensible because a required dry-cake term was missing. The results support a staged, multi-parameter qualification approach based on feed chemistry, stoichiometric consistency, phosphorus deportment, and filtration behavior, followed by replicated modern bench and pilot validation before industrial scale-up.

The Therapeutic Promise of Citrus limon: A Review of its In-Vitro Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects

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Citrus plants, members of the Family Rutaceae have long been utilized in Traditional Indian medicine for the treatment of scurvy, Rheumatism , stomach ailments, diarrhea ,and  liver disorders. In addition to their therapeutic applications, Citrus plants are well known for their potent antioxidant properties, underscoring their significance in both Ethnomedicine and modern pharmacological research. Citrus essential oils are fascinating because they sit at the intersection of botany, chemistry and human health. the Rutaceae family, with its rich diversity has given us plants whose oils are aromatic and also pharmacologically active.  What makes citrus oils particularly valuables is their complex  Phytochemical composition-mainly Terpenes {like limonene, Aldehydes ,Alcohols, Esters, Flavonoids } these mixture of compounds are known for both the Organoleptic properties { Flavour, fragrance} and the bioactivities like Antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties.  The study has an objective to investigate the  composition of phytochemicals in citrus limon leaf powder and evaluate their potential pharmacological activities  majorly antioxidant  and anti-inflammatory activity by evaluating their chemical constituents and carrying out testing procedures in various applications, the review highlights the importance of citrus limon leaves as a sustainable source of natural bioactive compounds. Citrus Genus are the most cultivated fruit crops ,rich in carotenoids,  Flavonoids , and many other bioactive compounds of nutritional and nutraceutical values.

A Correlational Study of Peer Social Support and Student Engagement Among Junior High School Students

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Student engagement is widely regarded as a key determinant of successful learning, yet preliminary observations at a state Islamic junior high school (Madrasah Tsanawiyah) in South Sumatra indicated that students’ affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement had not yet developed optimally. One contextual factor thought to contribute to this pattern is peer social support, given that friendship relationships become increasingly important during early adolescence for meeting the psychological needs of belonging and relatedness. This study aimed to empirically examine the relationship between peer social support and student engagement among seventh- and eighth-grade students. A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving 205 students drawn from a population of 500 through simple random sampling based on the Isaac and Michael table at a 95% confidence level. Data were collected using two five-point Likert scales: a Student Engagement Scale developed from the affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement dimensions proposed by Lam et al. (2014), and a Peer Social Support Scale based on the appraisal, tangible, belonging, and self-esteem support dimensions proposed by Cohen and Wills (as cited in Schonfeld, 1991). Data were analyzed using simple linear regression with SPSS version 27. The results revealed a positive and highly significant relationship between peer social support and student engagement (r = 0.329; R Square = 0.108; p = 0.000), with peer support accounting for 10.8% of the variance in engagement. These findings indicate that greater peer social support is associated with higher student engagement, although most of the variance in engagement is explained by factors beyond peer support alone.

The Application of a Problem-Based Learning Model Using The Experimental Method on The Learning Outcomes and Scientific Reasoning Skills of Elementary School Students in Science Education

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Science learning in elementary schools requires students to understand concepts through observation, investigation, and reasoning processes. However, students’ learning outcomes and inference skills are still relatively low because learning activities are often dominated by teacher explanations and have not fully involved students in scientific inquiry activities. This study aims to analyze the effect of the Discovery Learning model assisted by Live Worksheet on students’ learning outcomes and inference skills in science learning on the topic of changes in states of matter.

This study employed a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental method using a Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The research subjects were fourth-grade students of SD Negeri Antirogo 01 and SD Negeri Antirogo 04, Jember Regency, consisting of 62 students. The experimental class received treatment through Discovery Learning assisted by Live Worksheet, while the control class received conventional learning. Data collection techniques used learning outcome tests and inference skill instruments. Data analysis was performed through prerequisite tests and hypothesis testing using inferential statistics.

The results showed that the Discovery Learning model assisted by Live Worksheet had a significant effect on students’ learning outcomes and inference skills. The learning process encouraged students to actively observe, collect information, process data, verify findings, and formulate conclusions based on evidence. The integration of interactive digital worksheets strengthened students’ involvement and supported meaningful learning experiences. Therefore, Discovery Learning assisted by Live Worksheet can be an effective alternative strategy to improve cognitive achievement and scientific thinking skills among elementary school students.

Transition From Free Bags to Eco-Friendly Alternatives: Economics, Greenwashing and Consumer Behavior in Veracruz, Mexico

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The replacement of free plastic bags with alternatives marketed as eco-friendly has transformed the economic and environmental relationships between businesses and consumers; however, charging for bags does not necessarily imply an effective reduction in their consumption and can encourage greenwashing strategies when environmental claims lack verifiable support. The objective of this research was to analyze the economic and environmental implications of changing from free bags to paid bags with an eco-label in businesses in Veracruz–Boca del Río. A descriptive-exploratory study was conducted through direct observation in 16 businesses in the Veracruz–Boca del Río metropolitan area, Veracruz, Mexico, during January and February 2024. The type of material, price, dimensions, delivery conditions, and observed consumer behavior were recorded. The information was systematized through a qualitative-interpretive analysis. Significant differences were identified in prices and marketing methods, noting that conventional bags ranged in price from $1.00 to $17.50 MXN, while those labeled as eco-friendly or reusable ranged from $3.00 to $25.00 MXN. Replacing free bags with paid alternatives eliminated an operating cost and generated a new potential revenue stream. Furthermore, commercial practices based on environmental attributes were observed without sufficient information on reuse or environmental performance. It is concluded that the analyzed transition presents a relevant economic dimension and characteristics consistent with greenwashing; therefore, the environmental effectiveness of these policies should be evaluated using verifiable indicators of reduced consumption and increased bag reuse.