Green Worship: The Effects of Devotional and Behavioral Factors on Adopting Electronic Incense Products in Religious Practices

Utilization of Incense Stick Ash in Hydrometallurgy Methods for Extracting Oxides of Fe, Al, Si, and Ca

With rapid industrialization, there is an ever-increasing demand for iron oxides, calcium oxides, aluminum oxides, silica, and zeolites as raw materials for various industries, but reserves of such metal oxides are continuously diminishing. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore new alternatives for such value-added minerals. One such material is incense stick ash (ISA), which is among the most unexplored byproducts from residential and holy places. Currently, ISA is of no use and it is disposed of in millions of tons (MTs) in rivers and other water bodies in India due to its sacred value. The major chemical composition of ISA is calcium, silica, alumina, ferrous minerals, magnesium, and traces of Na, K, P, Ti, etc. Major fractions of ISA, i.e., 50-60%, are made up of calcium and magnesium oxides; 20-30% of ISA is made up of silica, alumina, and ferrous minerals, as revealed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). In the present research work, methods of recovery of value-added micro and nano minerals from ISA are suggested, using cost-effective techniques and an eco-friendly approach. Firstly, magnetic fractions were recovered by a magnetic separation method; then, alumina, silica, and calcium oxides were synthesized from non-magnetic fractions. The confirmation of the synthesized and extracted nanomaterials was done by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), particle size analyzer (PSA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy with electron diffraction spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The purity of synthesized particles varied from 40-80%. In the future, ISA will prove to be an alternative resource material for Fe, Ca, Si, C, Al, and zeolites, which will minimize solid waste pollution and water pollution arising due to the disposal of ISA into water bodies.

The Adverse Impact of Incense Smoke on Human Health: From Mechanisms to Implications

Incense burning is a very popular activity in daily life among many parts all over the world. A growing body of both epidemiological and experimental evidences has reported the negative effects of incense use on human well-being, posing a potential threat at public significance. This work is a comprehensive review that covers the latest findings regarding the adverse impact of incense smoke on our health, providing a panoramic visualization ranging from mechanisms to implications. The toxicities of incense smoke come directly from its harmful constituents and deposition capacity in the body. Besides, reactive oxygen species-driven oxidative stress and associated inflammation seem to be plausible underlying mechanisms, eliciting various unfavorable responses. Although our current knowledge remains many gaps, this issue still has some important implications.

Effects of Physical Activity and Psychological Modification-Based Intervention on Physical Fitness, Physical Activity and Its Related Psychological Variables in Female Adolescents

Background: The current study investigated the effects of an intervention incorporating physical activity and psychological modification strategy on physical fitness, physical activity levels, and psychological variables related to physical activity in female adolescents. Methods: Sixty female adolescents were recruited from H Middle School. Among them, 30 females (Mage = 14.35 years) were randomly assigned to the experimental group and the rest of 30 to the control group (Mage = 14.47 years) and voluntarily participated in the 12-week intervention. Results: The results indicated that the physical activity stage of female adolescents in the experimental group significantly increased over the 12-week intervention. The results revealed that all of psychological variables in the experimental group significantly improved over the intervention, while participants in the experimental group showed significantly higher scores on most of psychological variables, except cons, than those in the control group after the intervention. Moreover, most of physical fitness components in the experimental group significantly increased over the intervention. Conclusions: The current study confirmed that the physical activity-related psychological intervention was feasible for improving physical and psychological health among female adolescents.

Exposition of respiratory ailments from trace metals concentrations in incenses

Selected trace metals of importance in different incense before and after the smoldering process were assessed based on the recent respiratory ailments. Marketed perfumed and non-perfumed incense from different countries was separately analyzed using an Inductive coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). A particulate analyzer measured the dispersed particulates (PM_2.5) in the indoor environment. The analysis revealed higher mean metals concentrations in the smoldered perfumed incense (1.98 µg g^-1) than in the non-smoldered and non-perfumed incense (0.59 µg g^-1). Pilot-scale experiments included the smoke dispersed in different sized-rooms, and the distance between the inhaler and the smoldering incense. Simultaneously, a questionnaire distributed to 300 residents from six sampling areas revealed the exposure of incense to human health. This study indicated significant attributes on (a) the room size and incense volume, (b) the permissible inmate's number in a room, (c) the distance between the inmate vicinity and the point of smoldering incense, (d) selectivity of incense, besides the outdoor environmental influence. Furthermore, this study revealed the various categories of respiratory ailments in residents in relation to the frequency of burning incense, prolonged smoke exposure, and the impact of burners although, earlier beneficial effects of incenses were evidenced. This study recommends preventive measures to human respiratory ailments from smoldering incense.

Variations and similarities in structural, chemical, and elemental properties on the ashes derived from the coal due to their combustion in open and controlled manner

Coal fly ash (CFA) and coal-based incense sticks ash (ISA) have several similarities and differences due to the presence of coal as a common component in both of them. CFA are produced from the combustion of pulverized coal during electricity production in the thermal power plants while ISA are produced from the burning of incense sticks at religious places and at houses. A typical black colored Indian, incense sticks are mainly are comprised of coal powder or potassium nitrate, wood chip, fragrance, binder or binding agent, and bamboo sticks. The black colored incense sticks have coal powder or charcoal as a facilitator for smoother burning of incense sticks. The detailed investigation of CFA and ISA by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), electron diffraction spectroscopy (EDS), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), particle size analyzer (PSA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the morphological, chemical, and elemental properties. Both the coal based ashes comprises minerals like calcites, silicates, ferrous, alumina, and traces of Mg, Na, K, P, Ti, and numerous toxic heavy metals as confirmed by the XRF, ICP-AES, and EDS. While, microscopy revealed the presence of well-organized spherical shaped particles, namely cenospheres, plerospheres, and ferrospheres of size varying from 0.02 μm to 7 microns in CFA. Whereas, ISA particles are irregular, aggregated, calcium to carbon rich whose size varies from 60 nm to 9 microns and absence of well-organized spherical structures. The well developed and crystalline structure in CFA is due to the controlled combustion parameter in thermal power plants during the burning of coal while incense sticks (IS) burning is under uncontrolled manner. So, FTIR and XRD confirmed that the major portion of fly ash constitutes crystalline minerals whereas ISA have mainly amorphous phase minerals. CFA have ferrospheres of both rough and smooth surfaced, which was absent from the ISA and hence ferrous particles of CFA are of high magnetic strength. The detailed investigation of ashes will lead to the applications of ashes in new fields, which will minimize the solid waste pollution in the environment.

Relationship between Smoking, Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Quality of Life among Adolescents

Background: Quality of life (QOL) is a crucial part of evaluating health conditions IN adolescents. The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the relationship of QOL and smoking, physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) among Chinese adolescents, (2) explore the relationship between PA-ST combination and QOL of adolescents, and (3) investigate the dose-response relationship between PA-ST and QOL. Methods: This study randomly selected 12,900 adolescents (11–18 years) from 13 administrative regions in Shandong Province, China. The data gathering tools for Smoking (tobacco), PA (PAQ-A) and ST (average daily time for ST) and QOL questionnaire (child and adolescent quality of life scale) were completed among all adolescents. Statistical analysis was performed by T test, chi-square test and multiple linear regression. Results: 12,641 adolescents (aged 12–18) completed the study. In multiple linear regression models, the result demonstrated that the adolescents from rural areas, with high ST, low PA, and smoking, with older age and low socioeconomic status, showed a lower QOL score. First-time smokers under 10 years revealed the lowest QOL, and PA > 30 min five days per week have the highest QOL. In addition, boys and girls with PA > 30 min three to four days per week in high ST group obtain the higher scores (boys β = 5.951, girls β = 3.699) than low PA-low ST groups. Conclusions: Adolescents from rural areas suffer from a relatively poorer QOL. More than 30 min of PA five or more days for boys and three or four days per week for girls could decrease negative effects of ST and improve QOL.

The Sacred Power of Beauty: Examining the Perceptual Effect of Buddhist Symbols on Happiness and Life Satisfaction in China

The theoretical relationship between Buddhism and subjective well-being has gained much academic attention in recent decades. However, the prominent determinants of religiosity remain limited for researchers to understand a holistic picture of religion-informed subjective well-being, particularly in the context of Buddhism. This study has applied a quantitative survey to verify the impact of the aesthetic effects of the Buddhist gesture symbol on Chinese people’s subjective happiness through sequential mediators of life satisfaction and the perceived religiosity. The significance of this study is threefold. Firstly, it aims to enrich the current academic understanding of the religion-informed subjective well-being by introducing a new determinant of the Buddhist symbols. Secondly, the current study investigates the mechanism of how Buddhist symbols could influence happiness by analyzing the sequential mediating roles of religiosity and life satisfaction. Thirdly, this study empirically examines the topic in the context of China to confirm and underpin the theoretical relationship between Buddhism and subjective well-being in relevant research, which has previously focused on Western culture. Our results indicated that the aesthetic perception of the Buddhist gesture symbol positively influenced perceived happiness and life satisfaction. In addition, perceived religiosity and life satisfaction sequentially mediated the perceived happiness after seeing the Buddhist gesture symbol. Our findings contribute to the current academic understanding of religious symbols and their impacts on subjective well-being.

Robot Helps When Robot Fits: Examining the Role of Baby Robots in Fertility Promotion

Considering China is facing a precipitous decline in its population, there is an emerging trend of developing baby robots to encourage people's willingness to become "parents". Based on the decomposed theory of planned behavior and the theory of uncanny valley, this study empirically investigated whether a baby robot could perform as a prominent antecedent of fertility intention in China, and how this relates to its visual appearance. Consistent with prior research, the current study used a between-subjects design to show (1) a baby robot could significantly improve people's fertility attitude through temporal visual stimulation; (2) fertility attitude, subjective norms from peers, and perceived behavioral control of finance could significantly contribute to fertility intention. Theoretical contributions and implications are discussed in this study.