ID: 63438
Title: Anomalous uranium concentration in tourmaline-bearing leucogranite of Higher Himalaya, Nuranang, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh, North East India
Author: Santu Patra, U. P. Sharma, Kamlesh Kumar and D. K. Sinha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 253 -257 (2023)
Subject: Anomalous uranium concentration in tourmaline-bearing leucogranite of Higher Himalaya, Nuranang, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh, North East India
Keywords: Geochemistry, leucogranite, mineralogy, petrology, tourmaline, uranium mineralization
Abstract: Here we report anomalous uranium concentration in
tourmaline-bearing leucogranite occurring at Nuranang,
Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh, North East India.
The leucogranite occurs as concordant layers parallel to
gneissic foliation, similar to the gneisses of the Paleoproterozoic Se La Group. It is medium to coarse-grained,
and is composed of quartz, potash feldspar and plagioclase as dominant minerals with variable proportions of
muscovite, biotite, tourmaline and garnet. Apatite, zircon
and pyrite are accessory minerals. Geochemically, the
leucogranite is alkali-rich, peraluminous and highly
differentiated. It is emplaced in a syn to late orogenic
collision tectonic setting. Analyses of 10 granite samples
collected at 500 m intervals show relatively high radio elemental concentration (U: 5–96 ppm, Th: 5–23 ppm,
K: 2.23–7.72% and Th/U; 0.07–1.00, n = 10) compared
to normal granite. Anomalous uranium concentration in
the leucogranite is observed in a 200 m × 50 m area at
Nuranang. Samples from this area have assayed 0.016–
0.029% U3O8 and <0.005% ThO2. Leachable U3O8 content determined in five samples varies from 81.25% to
87.50%. Preliminary studies indicate that uranium is
in the adsorbed state associated with iron oxide and altered feldspar/clay. The findings of anomalous uranium
concentration in tourmaline-bearing leucogranite likely
open up a new target area for uranium search in the
Higher Himalaya of Arunachal Pradesh
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Friedrich, M. H., Cuney, M. and Poty, B., Uranium geochemistry in
peraluminous leucogranites. In Concentration Mechanisms of Uranium in Geological Environments – A Conference Report (eds Poty,
B. and Pagel, M.), International Atomic Energy Agency, 1987, vol.
3, pp. 353–385.
Nabelek, P. I. and Liu, M., Petrologic and thermal constraints on
the origin of leucogranites in collisional orogens. Trans. R. Soc.
Edinburgh: Earth Sci., 2004, 95, 73–85.
Literature cited 2: Ballouard, C., Boulvais, P., Poujol, M., Gapais, D., Yamato, P.,
Tartèse, R. and Cuney, M., Tectonic record, magmatic history and
hydrothermal alteration in the Hercynian Guérande leucogranite,
Armorican Massif, France. Lithos, 2015, 220–223, 1–22.
Islam, R., Ahmad, T. and Khanna, P. P., An overview on the granitoids of the N
ID: 63437
Title: Evaluation of fixation and reaction gaze points near speed humps on urban roads in India
Author: Satish Chandra, Ravi Sekhar Chalumuri, Kamini Gupta and Neelima Chakrabarty
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 245 -252 (2023)
Subject: Evaluation of fixation and reaction gaze points near speed humps on urban roads in India
Keywords: Eye tracker, gaze plots, heat maps, regression analysis, speed hump, urban roads.
Abstract: Isolated speed humps are extensively used as speed-calming measures for motorized vehicles of different categories on urban roads. Most urban roads in India are
provided with either a trapezoidal or circular speed
hump based on the road category. The height of these
humps influences the per cent reduction of speed at the
crown of the hump. It has been observed that passenger
motorized vehicles do not reduce their speeds before a
speed hump, even when it is large. The objective of this
study was to evaluate the driver perception and reaction
distance near a speed hump and thereby examine the
sensitivity of these parameters on the drivers of different
age groups. For this, drivers of different ages (a total
sample size of five subjects) were considered for real-time eye-tracking experiments. The experimental results
of all subjects’ eye tracking images were examined in
this study. The visit duration or dwell time for an area
of interest (AOI) was estimated and compared among
various drivers. The speed data were also collected using
a velocity-box along with eye-tracking data of each driver at the identified location. The collected eye-tracking
experimental data were analysed using statistical techniques. Regression analysis between vehicular speed and
fixation count was performed. It was observed that the
power model was the best fit for the collected data. The
visualization data helped to reveal the characteristics of
fixation and reaction gaze points near the identified
speed humps. The study results showed that driver attention was double when vehicle located between 0 and
20 m than 20 and 40 m from the speed hump. Drivers in
the age group between 20 and 25 years had 48% AOI of
visit duration, while for those in the age group between
30 and 40 years, it was 67%.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: GoI, Road accidents in India. Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways, Transport Research Wing, New Delhi, 2020.
Zainuddin, N., Md Diah, J., Adan, M. and Sulaiman, N., The optimization of speed hump design: a case study in Malaysia residential
streets. In IEEE Colloquium on Humanities, Science and Engineering
(CHUSER), Kota Kinabala, IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 2012, pp.
368–387.
Literature cited 2: Chandra, S., Ravi Sekhar, Ch. and Ruhina Behum, Md, Optimum
design of speed hump based on empirical data. In Transportation
Research Board, Annual Meeting, 2019, Paper ID 19-04082.
Bie, Y., Wang, L., Wang, D. and Ma, D., A signal coordination algorithm for two adjacent intersections based on approximate dynamic
programming. J. Southeast Univ. (Engl. Edn), 2012, 28(1), 112–118.
ID: 63436
Title: Vegetative propagation of papaya (Carica papaya L.) through grafting
Author: J. Satisha and Linta Vincent
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 239 -244 (2023)
Subject: Vegetative propagation of papaya (Carica papaya L.) through grafting
Keywords: Cytokinins, grafting, lateral shoots, papaya, vegetative propagation.
Abstract: In papaya orchards raised through seedlings, large variation in sex forms is a major hindrance to its cultivation on
a commercial scale. Similarly, in papaya breeding, if a
desirable trait is to be fixed in future generations, it is
essential to multiply the plants by asexual means for
evaluation on a large scale as sexual propagation has
several drawbacks. Limited studies have been conducted
on vegetative propagation in papaya under the tropical
climate of India. Hence, the present study was initiated
to standardize vegetative propagation through grafting
under separate experiments. A combination of growth
hormones and different aged seedlings was used to induce lateral shoots on the mother plants to utilize them as
scions for grafting. Spraying BA @ 100 ppm + GA3 @
250 ppm on 5–6 month-old mother plants could produce
more graftable size shoots. Among different methods,
softwood wedge grafting recorded maximum success
followed by cleft grafting. Field evaluation of grafted
and seedling plants revealed that the former were
dwarfs and sturdy, induced early flowering at a lower
heights and came to harvest earlier than the seedlings.
Though physical fruit parameters showed a significant
difference between grafted and seedling plants, no difference was recorded for fruit quality parameters.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Allan, P. and McMillan, C. N., Advances in propagation of Carica
papaya L. cv. Honey Gold cuttings. J. South African Hortic. Sci.,
1991, 1, 69–72.
2. Villegas, V. N., The biology of Carica papaya L. In Plant Resources of South East Asia, 2: Edible Fruits and Nuts (eds Verheji,
E. W. M. and Colonel, R. E.), PROSEA Foundation, Bogor Indonesia,
1997, p. 17.
Literature cited 2: Sao José, A. R. and e-Marin, S. L. D., Propagação do mamoeiro. In
Mamão (ed. Ruggiero, C.), FUNEP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brasil,
1988, pp. 177–196.
Allan, P. and Carison, C., Progress and problems in rooting clonal
Carica papaya cuttings. 2007. South African J. Plant Soil, 2009,
24, 22–25; doi:10.1080/02571862.2007.10634776.
ID: 63435
Title: Aromatic plant odours of Anethum graveolens and Coriandrum sativum repel whitefly, Bemisia tabaci in tomato
Author: Vinod K. Padala, P. Saravan Kumar, N. Ramya and P. D. Kamala Jayanthi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 231 -238 (2023)
Subject: Aromatic plant odours of Anethum graveolens and Coriandrum sativum repel whitefly, Bemisia tabaci in tomato
Keywords: Aromatic intercrops, Bemisia tabaci, headspace volatiles, pest management strategies, tomato
Abstract: We studied the behavioural responses of female whitefly,
Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) towards headspace volatiles of tomato in the presence of aromatic intercrops,
namely coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and dill
(Anethum graveolens L.) using olfactometer bioassays,
electrophysiological techniques and field experimentation. Olfactometer studies revealed the repellent nature
of dill and coriander. Multiple-choice olfactometer studies revealed less residence time in tomato with coriander
(T + Co; 1.33 0.20 min) and tomato with dill (T + D;
1.97 0.30 min) treated arms compared to sole tomato
volatile treated arm (3.18 0.35 min). Field studies also
supported this trend, where significantly less whitefly
incidence was recorded in treatment T + Co (2.34
0.39 per three leaves) or T + D (3.33 0.51 per three
leaves) compared to sole tomato crop (5.71 0.75 per
three leaves). In coupled gas chromatography-electroantennodetection (GC-EAD) studies, whitefly antenna
responded to several compounds of dill and coriander.
This study suggests that aromatic plants such as dill
and coriander can be used as potential intercrop components in tomatoes to manage B. tabaci and the GCEAD-identified compounds of dill and coriander will
help formulate futuristic semiochemical-based pest management strategies against the whitefly.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Perrin, R. M. and Phillips, M. L., Some effects of mixed cropping
on the population dynamics of insect pests. Entomol. Exp. Appl.,
1978, 24(3), 585–593.
2. Smith, H. A. and McSorley, R., Intercropping and pest management: a review of major concepts. Am. Entomol., 2000, 46
Literature cited 2: Degri, M. M., Mailafiya, D. M. and Mshelia, J. S., Effect of intercropping pattern on stem borer infestation in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) grown in the Nigerian Sudan Savannah. Adv.
Entomol., 2014, 2, 81–86.
4. Baidoo, P. K., Mochiah, M. B. and Apusiga, K., Onion as a pest
control intercrop in organic cabbage (Brassica oleracea) production system in
ID: 63434
Title: Archaeo-metallurgical analysis: metallurgy in the early medieval societies of Moghalmari, West Bengal, India
Author: Anustup Chatterjee
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 226 -230 (2023)
Subject: Archaeo-metallurgical analysis: metallurgy in the early medieval societies of Moghalmari, West Bengal, India
Keywords: Ancient metals, archaeo-metallurgy, early medieval sites, human civilization, scientific analysis.
Abstract: Archaeo-metallurgical studies on early medieval Bengal
trace, the history and development of metalwork. West
Bengal, as an integral part of eastern India, has an ancient tradition of iron technology, as indicated by the
metal objects obtained from various archaeological
sites. All materials collected from these archaeological
sites in West Bengal prove that the ancient alchemy
and metallurgical science practised in the region were
vast and rich. The detailed description of metallurgical
processes and intricate properties of minerals and chemicals in the 10th–11th century alchemy-text, Rasaratna
Samuchchaya, is yet another proof of the high level of
knowledge on metallurgy. Metals have a close relationship with human civilization, and the phases attributed
to different stages of cultural growth are dominated by
the metals being used at a particular period. Metal objects found in various early medieval sites of West Bengal
provide a unique opportunity to study the development
of metalworking fashion and technology. Several excavations and explorations have been conducted to study
the societal structure and material culture of this period.
The study of metal technology also provides information
on cultural development and craftsmanship. The present study involves scientific analysis of metal objects
(bronze) obtained from the culturally rich archaeological
site of Moghalmari in West Bengal. X-ray diffractogram which revealed the composition of the materials.
Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyse the
microstructure of the sample. The results provide information regarding the purity and composition of the
metal.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Majumdar, S., What is in the location: a geo-archaeological study of
the landscape of the Buddhist monasteries of Western Bengal. Int. J.
Hist. Insight Res., 2019, 5/4, 1–14.
Datta, A., Excavations at Moghalmari: a pre-pala Buddhist monastic
complex. J. Bengal Art, 2010, 15, 276–293.
Literature cited 2: Park, K. W., Jang, J. I., Wakeda, M., Shibutani, Y. and Lee, J. C.,
Atomic packing density and its influence on the properties of Cu–Zr
amorphous alloys. Scr. Mater., 2007, 57(9), 805–808.
ID: 63433
Title: A data-driven approach to predict anthropometric dimensions of Central Indian women workers via principal component and factorial analysis
Author: Manisha Jagadale, K. N. Agrawal, C. R. Mehta, R. R. Potdar, Manoj Kumar and Mahesh Jadhav
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 215 -225 (2023)
Subject: A data-driven approach to predict anthropometric dimensions of Central Indian women workers via principal component and factorial analysis
Keywords: Agriculture, correlation, factor analysis, principal component analysis, women worker
Abstract: In India, the contribution of women workers in agriculture is steadily increasing daily, which governs a major
share of the Indian agriculture sector. Hence farm tools
and equipment must be designed by considering regionspecific anthropometric data of women workers. However,
measuring and recording anthropometric dimensions is
time-consuming and economically taxable. In the present
study, regression models have been developed to predict
different anthropometric dimensions using anthropometric data of 79 body dimensions of 720 women workers in
central India aged between 25 and 55 years. Principal
component and factorial analysis techniques were employed to extract significant body dimensions. The major
objective of this study was to predict various anthropometric dimensions by regression models so that the time
and effort required for several body dimension measurements would be reduced.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Mehta, C. R., Chandel, N. S. and Senthilkumar, T., Status, challenges and strategies for farm mechanization in India. Agric. Mech.
Asia, Afr. Latin Am., 2014, 45(4), 43–50.
Feyzi, M., Navid, H. and Dianat, I., Ergonomically based design of
tractor control tools. Int. J. Ind. Ergon., 2019, 72, 298–307.
Literature cited 2: Singh, S. and Arora, R., Ergonomic intervention for preventing musculoskeletal disorders among farm women. J. Agric. Sci., 2010,
1(2), 61–71.
Dewangan, K. N., Owary, C. and Datta, R. K., Anthropometric data
of female farm workers from north eastern India and design of hand
tools of the hilly region. Int. J. Ind. Ergon., 2008, 38(1), 90–100.
ID: 63432
Title: Dynamics of junk food consumption with central and general obesity: a cross-sectional study among adolescent Tibetan girls in India
Author: Neelam Singh, Shweta Singh, and Gautam Kumar Kshatriya
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 210 -214 (2023)
Subject: Dynamics of junk food consumption with central and general obesity: a cross-sectional study among adolescent Tibetan girls in India
Keywords: Adolescent girls, general and central obesity, healthy eating habits, junk food
Abstract: Deterioration in health due to junk food consumption
is a global concern, with adolescents at a greater risk.
A cross-sectional study was conducted to understand
the dynamics of junk food consumption with obesity
in adolescent Tibetan girls (13–18 years; N = 276) of
Himachal Pradesh, India. A pretested schedule and
anthropometric measurements were used for data collection. Descriptive and bivariate analysis was done.
The odds ratio was the determined. The study found
that 45.28% of the girls consumed some form of junk
food. Also, 25.4% and 16.3% were also centrally obese
according to waist–hip ratio (WHR) and waist–height
ratio (WHtR) respectively. Girls who consumed junk
food were found to be at a greater risk (WHR: OR =
7.942, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.132–15.262;
WHtR: OR = 3.652, 95% CI = 1.820–7.327 at P < 0.001)
of developing abdominal obesity. Frequent consumption
of junk food was found to be remarkably high (77.60%)
among the studied population. It is of utmost importance to prioritize implementation programmes on
healthy eating habits through various government and
non-government agencies in order to improve health
among adolescents.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: GNR, Global Nutrition Report: The State of Global Nutrition,
Bristol, UK, 2021; https://globalnutritionreport.org/reports/2021-
global-nutrition-report/.
Choudhary, S., Mishra, C. P. and Shukla, K. P., Nutritional status
of adolescent girls in rural area of Varanasi. Indian J. Prev. Soc.
Med., 2003, 34, 53–61.
Literature cited 2: World Health Organization, Comprehensive implementation plan
on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition. Geneva, Switzerland,
2014. Adv. Nutr., 2015, 6, 134–135; doi:10.3945/an.114.007781.
4. Abdullah, N. N., Mokhtar, M. M., Bakar, M. H. and Al-Kubaisy,
W., Trend on fast food consumption in relation to obesity among
Selangor urban community. Procedia-Soc. Behav. Sci., 2015, 22,
505–513.
ID: 63431
Title: Prediction and attenuation of ground vibrations generated by moving trains
Author: Shamsul Bashir, Aamir Rashid Chowdhary and Nasim Akhtar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 202 -209 (2023)
Subject: Prediction and attenuation of ground vibrations generated by moving trains
Keywords: Mass spring systems, mitigation measures, seismic velocity, vibration attenuation.
Abstract: The vibration generated by underground trains and the
level of vibration attenuated along the propagation path
are the keys to designing mitigation measures to avoid
adverse effects on the surroundings. The attenuation of
vibrational energy due to geometrical and material damping was determined at the Civil Court Godown, Pune
Metro, Maharashtra, India, up to 30 m. The seismic
cross-hole test was used to determine the dynamic
properties of the soil. It was found that the soil stratum
was homogeneous and composed of basaltic rock. The total
vibration level reaching the receiver was predicted for
trains travelling at 80, 250 and 350 km/h, and vibration
attenuation measures such as steel mass-spring systems
and polyurethane mass-spring systems have been proposed.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Miller, G. F., Pursey, H. and Bullard, E. C., On the partition of energy between elastic waves in a semi-infinite solid. Proc. R. Soc. A,
1955, 233(1192), 55–69; https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1955.0245.
Kouroussisa, G., Connolly, D. P. and Verlinden, O., Railway induced ground vibrations – a review of vehicle effects. Int. J. Rail
Transp., 2014, 2(2), 69–110; https://doi.org/10.1080/23248378.
2014.897791
Literature cited 2: Yang, Y. B. and Hsu, H. L., A review of researches on ground-borne
vibrations due to moving trains via underground tunnels. Adv.
Struct. Eng., 2006, 9(3), 377–392; https://doi.org/10.1260/136943-
306777641887.
UIC, Railway induced vibration, state of the art report. International
Union of Railways, 2017, pp. 1–82
ID: 63430
Title: Design and study of BiVO4/MnCo2O4 nanocomposites for visible light-driven antibacterial applications
Author: K. N. V. Suguna Sarvani , Lingayya Hiremath and N. Manikanda Prabu
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 183 -189 (2023)
Subject: Design and study of BiVO4/MnCo2O4 nanocomposites for visible light-driven antibacterial applications
Keywords: Antibacterial applications, Escherichia coli, nanocomposites, semiconductor, synergistic effect
Abstract: In this study, BiVO4 and MnCo2O4 were synthesized
successfully using hydrothermal and co-precipitation
methods. Nanocomposites of BiVO4/MnCo2O4 of varying
composition were made by calcination. All the synthesized compounds were well-characterized using PXRD,
SEM, EDS and DRS. Powder XRD analysis confirmed
the formation of BiVO4, MnCo2O4 and their respective
well-defined composites. The band gaps of the materials
were in the visible range (1.16–2.36 eV), making them
suitable for visible light-driven antibacterial applications
to inactivate the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia
coli. The as-prepared composites exhibited superior
antibacterial activity (maximum of ~80%) than the parent compounds, possibly due to the synergistic effect.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: McEvoy, J. G. and Zhang, Z., Antimicrobial and photocatalytic disinfection mechanisms in silver-modified photocatalysts under dark
and light conditions. J. Photochem. Photobiol. C, 2014, 19, 62–75.
Kubacka, A., Ferrer, M., Arias, A. M. and Garcia, M. F., Ag promotion of TiO2-anatase disinfection capability: study of Escherichia coli inactivation. Appl. Catal. B, 20
Literature cited 2: Sontakke, S., Mohan, C., Modak, J. and Madras, G., Visible light
photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli with combustion
synthesized TiO2. Chem. Eng. J., 2012, 189–190, 101–107.
Sharma, R. U., Singh, S., Verma, A. and Khanuja, M., Visible light
induced bactericidal and photocatalytic activity of hydrothermally
synthesized BiVO4 nano-octahedrals. J. Photochem. Photobiol. B,
2016, 162, 266–272.
ID: 63429
Title: Evaluation of the factors affecting hydrodynamic characteristics of a hybrid anaerobic baffled reactor
Author: N. Dharsika, S. Amal Raj and S. Mariraj Mohan
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 176-182 (2023)
Subject: Evaluation of the factors affecting hydrodynamic characteristics of a hybrid anaerobic baffled reactor
Keywords: Anaerobic baffled reactor, dead space, hydraulic efficiency, residence time distribution, response surface methodology.
Abstract: The residence time distribution was used to study the
hydrodynamic behaviour using the pulse input tracer
technique. The effect of medium, compartment-wise
variation in the mixing patterns inside the reactor and
hydraulic retention time on the hydrodynamic characteristics of the reactor was studied. The influence of the
number of compartments was predominant compared
to the hydraulic retention time and presence of a medium. The flow regime in the first, second and third compartments was in the intermediate state whereas the
flow regime was in plug-flow state in the rear compartment. The interactive effects were evaluated using
response surface methodology.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Barber, W. P. and Stuckey, D. C., The use of the anaerobic baffled
reactor (ABR) for wastewater treatment: a review. Water Res.,
1999, 33(7), 1559–1578.
2. Wang, J., Huang, Y. and Zhao, X., Performance and characteristics
of an anaerobic baffled reactor. Bioresour. Technol., 2004, 93(2),
205–208.
Literature cited 2: . Khalekuzzaman, M., Hasan, M., Haque, R. and Alamgir, M., Hydrodynamic performance of a hybrid anaerobic baffled reactor (HABR):
effects of number of chambers, hydraulic retention time, and influent temperature. Water Sci. Technol., 2018, 78(4), 968–981.
4. Mansouri, Y., Zinatizadeh, A. A., Mohammadi, P., Irandoust, M.,
Akhbari, A. and Davoodi, R., Hydraulic characteristics analysis of
an anaerobic rotatory biological contactor (AnRBC) using tracer
experiments and response surface methodology (RSM). Korean J.
Chem. Eng., 2012, 29(7), 891–902.
ID: 63428
Title: Status of biofortification in tropical root and tuber crops
Author: Shirly Raichal Anil, M. N. Sheela, C. Visalakshi Chandra, N. Krishna Radhika and K. I. Asha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 169 -175 (2023)
Subject: Status of biofortification in tropical root and tuber crops
Keywords: Biofortification, hidden hunger, nutrient-smart agriculture, transgenic crops, tubers
Abstract: Hidden hunger is a form of malnutrition, afflicting one-third of the world’s population. It is caused due to the
lack of micronutrients, mainly iron, zinc and vitamin
A, in the human diet and can lead to mental impairment,
poor health, low productivity and even death. It is
common in many developing and developed countries.
A change in research focus from increased agricultural
production of calorie-rich staple crops to nutrient-dense
staple crops is crucial to address the above problem.
Biofortification is a process of increasing the density of
vitamins and minerals in a crop through plant breeding,
transgenic or recombinant DNA technology or agronomic practices. Biofortification through breeding has been
taken up as a challenge by Harvest Plus for cassava and
sweet potato, which has resulted in the release of many
biofortified varieties that could fight hidden hunger
and ensure food security in many Sub-Saharan African
countries. The BioCassavaPlus project adopted transgenic strategies for biofortification in cassava. Transgenic
approaches serve as an alternative for biofortification
in sweet potatoes. Harvest Plus has not included yam in
its biofortification programme, though increasing the
provitamin A carotenoid content of yam is much needed.
Bioavailability of micronutrients has been thoroughly
studied in sweet potatoes. In India, the ICAR-Central
Tuber Crop Research Institute (CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram has been involved in the biofortification of
tropical tuber crops and has released many biofortified
varieties in sweet potato, cassava and yam. In a collaborative work plan with CIP, ICAR-CTCRI is at present
involved in the development of biofortified varieties of
sweet potato. The need to release and adopt transgenic
biofortified crops is discussed here, as sweet potato is a
naturally transgenic crop
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Khush, G. S., Lee, S., Cho, J. I. and Jeon, J. S., Biofortification of
crops for reducing malnutrition. Plant Biotechnol. Rep., 2012, 6,
195–202.
White, P. J. and Broadley, M. R., Biofortification of crops with
seven mineral elements often lacking in human diets – iron, zinc,
copper, calcium, magnesium, selenium and iodine. New Phytol.,
2009, 182, 49–84.
Literature cited 2: Calton, J. B., Prevalence of micronutrient deficiency in popular diet
plans. J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr., 2010, 7, 24; https://doi.org/10.1186/
1550-2783-7-24.
McGuire, S., International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, Global Nutrition Report 2014: actions and accountability to accelerate the world's progress on nutrition. Adv. Nutr., 2015,
6, 278–279; doi:10.3945/an.115.008599.
ID: 63427
Title: Placements, internal ‘brain drain’ and academic life of undergraduates at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Author: Namit Agrawal, Sailakshmi Sreenath, Shishir K. Jha and Anurag Mehra
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 124 (2) 155 -168 (2023)
Subject: Placements, internal ‘brain drain’ and academic life of undergraduates at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Keywords: Academic life, core versus non-core jobs, placements, technical education, undergraduate students.
Abstract: The nature of jobs that undergraduate students at IIT Bombay opt for is analysed in this study. We examine the factors that affect student choices, especially what makes them opt for core (related to
branch of study) or non-core jobs. We factor in the effect of their branch of study (or department), the remuneration offered, extracurricular activities pursued and the dominant aspirational narratives. Except for Computer Science and Engineering, there is a preponderance of students taking up
non-core jobs. This ‘realization’ amongst students often promotes a disconnect with academic studies, especially of core subjects. We conclude that placement data need to be recorded and analysed
every year so that rational decisions about the number of seats on offer in a given branch, the nature and extent of curricular changes, establishing multidisciplinary ‘branches' and improvements in the
placement process can be made in a reasoned manner.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Development of higher technical institutions of India. Report of
Sarkar Committee, 1948; https://kgpchronicle.iitkgp.ac.in/wp-content/
uploads/2020/02/Sarkar-Committee-Report.pdf (accessed on 25 August 2022).
2. Singh, A., IITs Yesterday and Tomorrow. Econ. Polit. Weekly,
1995, 30(38).
Literature cited 2: 1995, 30(38).
3. Mehrotra, S. P. and Sah, P. P., How the IITs were born and their
philosophies determined, Scroll.in, 10 January 2016.
4. Leslie, S. W. and Kargon, R., Exporting MIT: Science, technology,
and nation‐building in India and Iran. Osiris, 2006, 21(1)
ID: 63426
Title: Estimation of change in forest avoveground carbon in Bhimbandh wildlife Sanctuary, Bihar, India between 2007 and 2016
Author: Suman Sinha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2019
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 117 (6) 1090-1094 (2019)
Subject: Estimation of change in forest avoveground carbon in Bhimbandh wildlife Sanctuary, Bihar, India between 2007 and 2016
Keywords: Carbon, forest aboveground biomass, regression, synthetic aperture radar
Abstract: This study analyses the status and temporal dynamics of the tropical forest aboveground carbon (AGC) stocks. We used an integrated geospatial approach incorporating satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data with a continuous forest inventory over a ten year period utilizing statistical up-scaling procedure over a tropical deciduous forest of India as a case study. Logarithmic regression relationship was observed as the best fit model to derive the aboveground biomass from SAR backscatter coefficients with an absolute model accuracy of 80.61 %. This was further employed to model the change in forest AFGC stock from 2007 to 2016.Results show a significant decrease in carbon stock and the release of 918.5 Gg of carbon in the atmosphere from deforestation and forest degradation in the study area within the ten-year period.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Bala. G., Digesting 400 ppm for global mean CO2 concentration .Curr.Sci., 2013, 104 (11), 1471-1472.
Sinha, S. et al., Accounting tropical forest carbon stock with synergestic use of space-borne ALOS PALSAR and COSMO-Skymed SAR sensors .Trop. Ecol., 2019; doi: 10.1007/s42965-019-00011-6.
Literature cited 2: Gunlu, A. And Ercanlt, I., Artificial neural network models by ALOS PALSAR data for aboveground stand carbon predictions of pure beech stands: a case study from northern of Turkey.Geocarto.Int., 2018; doi:10.1080/10106049.2018.1499817.
Ganeshamurthy,A.N., Ravindra ,V., Rupa,T.R., and Bhat,P.M., Carbon sequestration potential of mango orchards in tropical hot and humid climate of Konkat region of India.Curr.Sci., 2019; https://www.currentscience.ac.in/cs/php/forthcoming/2019/29978.pdf (accessed on 18 March 2019).
ID: 63425
Title: Exploring the modulatory effect of albumin on calcium phosphate crystallization
Author: Priyadarshini, Devesh Raizada, Pragya Kumar, Tanya Singh, Trisha Pruthi, Abhishek Negi, Lokesh Nigam and Naidu Subbarao
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2019
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 117 (6) 1083-1089 (2019)
Subject: Exploring the modulatory effect of albumin on calcium phosphate crystallization
Keywords: Albumin, calcium phosphate, crystallization, nucleation, urolithiasis
Abstract: Urolitiasis, also known as renal lithiasis, is a commonly occurring disease in humans. Calculi are formed in the urinary tract, including the tubular region of the Kidney. Calcium phosphate crystals, especially hydroxyapatite, are responsible for nidus formation in the more commonly occurring calcium oxalate kidney stones. In the present study, effect of different concentrations of human serum albumin on nucleation, growth and demineralization of calcium phosphate crystallization using growth assay system and its confirmation with in silico study have been analysed. Human serum albumin shows inhibitory effect on nucleation, while it shows both simulatory as well as inhibitory activity on the growth of calcium phosphate crystals. The results suggest that albumin plays a role in both inhibition as well as promotion of calcium phosphate crystallization .The in silico study indicates involvement of Tyr-161, Arg-222 and Lys-195 and Lys-199 residues of albumin with calcium phosphate crystal.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Lopez, M.and Hoppe, B., History, epidemiology and regional diversities of urolithiasis.Pediatr.Nephrol. 2010, 25 (1) , 49-59.
Coe, F.L., Parks, J.H., and Asplin, J.R., The pathogenesis and treatment of kidney stones.N.Engl.JMed, 1992, 327 (16), 1141-1152.
Literature cited 2: Yuvarani, T., Manjula, K.and Gopu, P., Growth characterization of calcium, hydrogen phosphate dehydrate crystals influenced by Costus igneus aqueous extract .Int.J.Pharm.Pharm.Sci., 2017, 9 (5) , 173-178.
Aduayi, O.S.and Famurewa, O.C., Cystolithiasis with coexisting nephrolithiasis: aradiodiagnostic discovery in an adult Nigerian male with lower urinary tract sysmptoms.JK.Med.Invest.Pract, 2015, 10, 30-32.
ID: 63424
Title: Potential spreading risk of an invasive snail species (Pomacea canaliculata) in freshwater habitats of Asia
Author: Wasana de Silva, Te Cao, Zihao Wen, Xialon Zhang and Leyi Ni
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2019
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 117 (6) 1071-1078 (2019)
Subject: Potential spreading risk of an invasive snail species (Pomacea canaliculata) in freshwater habitats of Asia
Keywords: Freshwater macrophytes, invasive species, Pomacea canaliculata, spreading risk
Abstract: The invasive success of the freshwater snail species (Pomacea canaliculata) continues to wreak havoc around the world. The present study was initiated to analyse spatial trend and associated environmental conditions elated to the invasive success of P.canaliculata in Asia. Systematic searches were performed to identify relevant studies through different databases, and appropriate statistical methods like spatial autocorrelation, standard deviational ellipse method and PCA were used to generate new knowledge on this species. The potential invasive range of this species is between 40ºN and 40ºS lat. The present study reveals that the spatial distribution of P.canaliculata is most significantly correlated with human population density, followed by humidity, temperature and precipitation. Moreover, the grazing rates are dramatically affected by nutrient content of freshwater macrophytes. Spatial autocorrelation analysis result indicates clustered dispersion pattern of this snail, and standard deviational ellipse depicts the invasion trend of P.canaliculata moving from East Asia to potential areas in South and West Asia. We therefore conclude that P.canaliculata is likely to be the next harmful visitor to South and West Asian countries.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Lowe, S., Browne, M., Boudjelas, S. and Poorter De, M., 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species: A Selection from the Global Invasive Species Database, IUCN, 2000; http://www.issg.org/pdf/publications/worst_100/english_100_worst (accessed on 18 August 2016)
Cabi.org, Pomacea canaliculata (golden apple); http: //www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/68490 (accessed on 3 October 2016).
Literature cited 2: Arfan,A.G.,Muhamad,R., Omar,D., Azwady,A.A.and Manjeri,G., Comparative life cycle studies of Pomaceae maculate and Pomaceae canaliculata on rice (Oryza sativa) .Pak .J. Agric.Sci., 2015, 52 (4) , 1075-1079.
Wu,J.Y., Wu,Y.T.,Li., M.C., Chiu,Y.W., Liu,M.Y and Liu,L.L., Reproduction and juvenile growth of the invasive apple snails Pomacea canaliculata and P.Scalaris (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae) in Taiwan .Zool.Stud., 2011, 50 (1) , 61-68.