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ID: 65896
Title: Transforming food systems
Author: (Interviewed by Sachin Awana)
Editor: Sanjay Kumar
Year: 2024
Publisher: Sanjay Kumar
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Geospatial artha Volume 03 Issue 1 38-41 (2024)
Subject: Transforming food systems
Keywords: None
Abstract: Sachin Awana: Conserving freshwater ecosystems has become paramount as water scarcity hits key cities such as Bangalore. With increasing demand and pollution hitting the ecosystem, what can be done for conserving country's wetlands and freshwater reserves? Shivaprakash Nagaraju: India has 4% of world's freshwater resources, however this resource has come under increasing demographic stress since India is home to about 18 % of world population. As per recent estimates, fresh water wetlands in India cover 58.2 million hectares, of which at least 15.98 million ha of wetlands in India at least 2.25 ha in size.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
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ID: 65895
Title: Versatile applications of synthetic aperture radar
Author: Raj Kumar
Editor: Sanjay Kumar
Year: 2024
Publisher: Sanjay Kumar
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Geospatial artha Volume 03 Issue 1 15-19 (2024)
Subject: Versatile applications of synthetic aperture radar
Keywords: None
Abstract: The recent advancements in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology have significantly enhanced its capabilities and expanded its applications. Advances in technology have led to the development of systems capable of capturing images with unprecedented detail. High resolution-SAR images can now be used for various applications, including urban planning, infrastructure monitoring, and environmental assessment.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
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ID: 65894
Title: Data sharing critical develop early warning systems
Author: (Interview) Nibedita Mohanta
Editor: Sanjay Kumar
Year: 2024
Publisher: Sanjay Kumar
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Geospatial artha Volume 03 Issue 1 12-14 (2024)
Subject: Data sharing critical develop early warning systems
Keywords: None
Abstract: Nibedita: What were the challenges that you faced while developing India's first tsunami warning system? Dr. Shailesh Nayak: At that time, there was not much knowledge about tsunami and what could be the components of the tsunami warning system. The other major issue was the technology, how to put all other things together to detect the earthquake, because 90 %of the tsunami are generated by the earthquake. Whatever system we had to detect, the Cisco Grafters, were within India and the tsunami genic zones were Indonesia and the Andaman coast, which are outside Indian mainland. In order to detect, you need to pinpoint correctly, for which you need a system on both the sides of the earthquake.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
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ID: 65893
Title: Impact of rainfall and slope conditions on soil organic carbon dynamics under tea and coffee land cover in Western Ghats Mountain ranges, India
Author: K. Rajan, R. Ragupathy , D. Dinesh , Deepthi Eswar , P. Raja and U. Surendran
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1384-1389 10 June (2024)
Subject: Impact of rainfall and slope conditions on soil organic carbon dynamics under tea and coffee land cover in Western Ghats Mountain ranges, India
Keywords: Coffee, rainfall, slope, soil organic carbon, tea, Western Ghats Mountain.
Abstract: Impact of rainfall and slopes on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics was assessed under tea and coffee plantations, land covers, in Western Ghats Mountain (WGM). Severe water erosion in the western side of WGM by heavy rainfall and land sloppiness recorded less SOC (3.07%) compared to the eastern side (4.03%) in tea plantations. Similar trend in SOC was observed in coffee plantations, with 1.98% in western side and 3.25% in eastern side. Loss of soil organic carbon stock under tea plantations in western sides was 0.346 million tonnes and in coffee plantations it was 0.190 million tonnes. Hence, the total organic carbon loss was 0.536 million tonnes. Highest SOC content and stocks were recorded in steep slopes in tea and coffee plantations due to dense biomass cover and adoption of soil and water conservation measures
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Siler, N. and Roe, G., How will orographic precipitation respond to surface warming? an idealized thermodynamic perspective. Geophys. Res. Lett., 2014, 41, 2606–2613. Lozano-García, B., Parras-Alcántara, L. and Brevik, E. C., Impact of topographic-aspect and vegetation on soil organic-carbon and nitrogen-budgets in Mediterranean natural-areas. Sci. Total Environ., 2016, 544, 963–970.
Literature cited 2: Chaplot, V. and Poesen, J., Sediment, soil organic carbon and runoff delivery at various spatial scales. Catena, 2012, 88, 46–56. Valentin, C. et al., Runoff and sediment losses from 27 upland catchments in Southeast Asia: impact of rapid land use changes and conservation practices. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ., 2008, 128, 225–238.

ID: 65892
Title: Ironmaking at Hastinapur archaeological site from 8th century BCE to 16th century CE
Author: Dibishada Brajasundar Garnayak , Siva Sankar Panda , Mainak Gantait , Rajan Kumar Verma and Gautam Anand
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1381-1384 10 June (2024)
Subject: Ironmaking at Hastinapur archaeological site from 8th century BCE to 16th century CE
Keywords: Ancient iron technology, archaeometallurgy, iron slag, metallography.
Abstract: Hastinapur is one of the prominent painted grey ware archaeological sites in the Ganga Valley. In the present communication, we report the results of the metallurgical analysis of the excavated slag samples from the site. The existence of a large number of iron objects for this site can be dated between c. 6th century BCE and c. 16th century CE, with early iron from the 8th century BCE. The morphological, microstructural and elemental studies of the excavated slag indicate a high amount of carbon in iron, indicating crucible carburization activities at this site. In addition, the presence of niobium, cobalt, etc. in the slag indicates the usage of non-traditional iron ores in the primary ironmaking stage.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Lal, B. B., Excavation at Hastinapura and other explorations in the upper Ganga and Satluj basins 1950–52: new light on the dark age between the end of Harrappa culture and the early historical period, Ancient India. Bulletin of Archaeological Survey of India, No. 10 and 11, 1954–55, pp. 5–151. Levin, A. A., Meyer, D. C., Reibold, M., Kochmann, W., Pätzke, N. and Paufler, P., Microstructure of a genuine Damascus sabre. Cryst. Res. Technol., 2005, 40(9), 905–916
Literature cited 2: Verhoeven, J. D., The mystery of Damascus blades. Sci. Am., 2001, 284(1), 74–79. Srinivasan, S. and Ranganathan, S., India’s Legendary Wootz Steel: An Advanced Material of the Ancient World, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, India, 2004, pp. 1–153.

ID: 65891
Title: Field evaluation of indigenous Spodoptera frugiperda nucleopolyhedrovirus NBAIR1 for the management of maize fall armyworm in India
Author: Sivakumar Gopalsamy, Ram Kumar Pandi , Mohan Muthugounder , Venkatesan Thiruvengadam , Kannan Malaichamy , Kandan Aravindaram , Manjunatha Channappa , Rangeshwaran Rajagopal , Subaharan Kesavan and Sushil Satya Nand
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1377-1380 10 June (2024)
Subject: Field evaluation of indigenous Spodoptera frugiperda nucleopolyhedrovirus NBAIR1 for the management of maize fall armyworm in India
Keywords: Fall armyworm, invasive, maize, nucleopolyhedrovirus, Spodoptera frugiperda.
Abstract: The bioefficacy of an indigenous Spodoptera frugiperda nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpfrNPV) National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources 1 (NBAIR1) infecting maize fall armyworm (FAW) was evaluated under field conditions. In 2019, FAW infestation on maize was less after two sprays of emamectin benzoate (19.04%) followed by S. frugiperda nucleopolyhedrovirus ICAR-NBAIR1 (21.90%) and control (80.00%). In 2020, FAW infestation on maize was less after two sprays of emamectin benzoate (16.19%) followed by S. frugiperda nucleopolyhedrovirus ICAR-NBAIR1 (19.04%) and untreated control (69.52%). Field trial results revealed that there was 72.6% reduction in FAW infestation and 57.6% increase in the grain yield from the SpfrNPV NBAIR1- treated plots during 2019 and 2020. It is concluded that SpfrNPV NBAIR1 is a potential isolate to manage the FAW infestation
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Shylesha, A. N. et al., Studies on new invasive pest Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and its natural enemies. J. Biol. Control., 2018, 32(3), 145–151. Mutyambai, D. M., Niassy, S., Calatayud, P. A. and Subramanian, S., Agronomic factors influencing fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) infestation and damage and its co-occurrence with stem borers in maize cropping systems in Kenya. Insects, 2022, 13, 266
Literature cited 2: Sivakumar, G. et al., Natural occurrence of entomopathogens on the invasive fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) in South India. Curr. Sci., 2021, 120(4), 619–621. Sagheer, M., Ashfaq, M., Hasan, M.-ul. and Rana, S. A., Integration of some biopesticides and Trichogramma chilonis for the sustainable management of rice leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Pak. J. Agric. Sci., 2008, 45(1), 69–74.

ID: 65890
Title: Antennal transcriptome of melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae): identification of candidate chemosensory genes
Author: Subhash Shivaramu, Gandham Krishnarao , Meenal Vyas , Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy and Kamala Jayanthi Pagadala Damodaram
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1367-1376 10 June (2024)
Subject: Antennal transcriptome of melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae): identification of candidate chemosensory genes
Keywords: Antennae, chemosensory genes, melon fly, olfaction, transcriptome.
Abstract: The sense of smell, or olfaction, is essential for driving insect behaviours associated with seeking hosts, mating, oviposition and various other activities. The melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), poses a significant threat to agriculture, with its distribution spanning across the Asia-Pacific region and certain areas of Africa. Management strategies centered around olfaction, such as employing para-pheromones for population monitoring and bait-and-kill methods for male reduction, have proven effective in managing the populations of Z. cucurbitae. However, there has been a dearth of information concerning the molecular underpinnings of olfaction in Z. cucurbitae. In the present study, we conducted high-throughput sequencing to sequence and compile the antennal transcriptome of both male and female Z. cucurbitae specimens. Our aim was to identify chemoreception gene families associated with odor detection. Through this analysis, we discovered a total of 137 potential chemosensory genes, encompassing 55 odorant binding proteins (OBPs), 18 pheromone binding proteins (PBPs), 54 odorant receptors (ORs) and 10 ionotropic receptors (IRs). This study lays the groundwork for future research focused on the functional characterization of these chemosensory receptors in Z. cucurbitae at the molecular level, thereby paving the way for the development of enhanced tools for pest management.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Hildebrand, J. G., Analysis of chemical signals by nervous systems. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 1995, 92, 67–74. Grosse-wilde, E., Kuebler, L. S., Bucks, S., Vogel, H., Wicher, D. and Hansson, B. S., Antennal transcriptome of Manduca sexta. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2011, 108, 7449–7454.
Literature cited 2: Leal, W. S., Odorant reception in insects: roles of receptors, binding proteins and degrading enzymes. Annu. Rev. Entomol., 2013, 58, 373–391. Araneda, R. C., Kini, A. D. and Firestein, S., The molecular receptive range of an odorant receptor. Nat. Neurosci., 2000, 3, 1248–1255.

ID: 65889
Title: An intelligent optimized ReliefF model for autism gene selection from microarray data
Author: G. Anurekha and P. Geetha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1357-1366 10 June (2024)
Subject: An intelligent optimized ReliefF model for autism gene selection from microarray data
Keywords: Autism, dimensionality reduction, feature selection, gene selection, metaheuristic, microarray.
Abstract: Data science is an interdisciplinary domain that has vast applications. One among them is the bioinformatics domain. Bioinformatics is an essential field of science that incorporates computational, statistical and mathematical aspects for various experimental studies. Microarray experiments are vital in identifying the genetic cause of acute diseases. But the massive volume of data generated from microarray experiments makes analysis tedious and time-consuming for researchers. Hence, an efficient method for selecting relevant gene features is essential. This article proposes a new model for autism gene subset selection termed optimized reliefF (OReliefF). The proposed OReliefF employs a new fuzzy multi-verse optimizer (FMVO) to optimize the selection of neighbours. The filter-based feature selection model obtains the gene subset with high classification accuracy and a low error rate. Benchmark datasets of National Center for Biotechnology Information, USA with accession numbers GSE25507, GSE26415 and GSE2704 are used for implementation. The experimental findings show that the proposed autism gene selection model outperformed the state-of-the-art techniques
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: . Selvaraj, S. and Natarajan, J., Microarray data analysis and mining tools microarray data analysis and mining tools. Bioinformation, 2016, 6, 95. Chen, B., Hong, J. and Wang, Y., The minimum feature subset selection problem. J. Comput. Sci. Technol., 1997, 12, 145–153
Literature cited 2: Deepak Raj, D. M. and Mohanasundaram, R., An efficient filter based feature selection model to identify significant features from high-dimensional microarray data. Arab. J. Sci. Eng., 2020, 45, 2619– 2630. Cui, X., Li, Y., Fan, J. and Wang, T., A novel filter feature selection algorithm based on relief. Appl. Intell., 2022, 52, 5063–50

ID: 65888
Title: Improving flood simulation by integrating divergent streams in Upper Kuttanad, Kerala, India
Author: T. K. Drissia, P. Sreya and George Abe
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1349-1356 10 June (2024)
Subject: Improving flood simulation by integrating divergent streams in Upper Kuttanad, Kerala, India
Keywords: Diverging stream, hydrodynamic model, MIKE+, MIKE HYDRO River, 2018 Kerala flood
Abstract: Floods are becoming a frequent phenomenon even in regions where floods are rare; floods in Kerala, India, are one example. The study investigates floods in the Upper Kuttanad region of Kerala, where three rivers – Pamba, Manimala, and Achenkovil – converge while some streams diverge. To tackle this challenge, two distinct scenarios, without considering diverging rivers and considering diverging rivers, are employed in a one-dimensional flood simulation of the August 2018 flood in MIKE Hydro River. The results indicate that accounting for river divergence leads to a more accurate alignment between the simulated and observed discharge with an R2 value of nearly 0.90, aiding in the comprehension of the flood characteristics
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: O’Connor, J. E. and Costa, J. E., The World’s largest floods, past and present – their causes and magnitudes, US Geological Survey Circular, 2004, vol. 1254, p. 13. 2. Rakhecha, P. R., Highest floods in India. In The Extremes of the Extremes: Extraordinary Floods (Reykjavik, July 2000). Proceedings of an International Symposium on Extraordinary Floods (eds Snorrason, A., Finnsdottir, H. and Moss, M. E.), International Association of Hydrological Sciences, Paris, France, IAHS-AISH Publication, 2002, pp. 167–172
Literature cited 2: Balloffet, A., One-dimensional analysis of floods and tides in open channels. J. Hydraul. Div., 1969, 95(4), 1429–1451; https://doi.org/ 10.1061/JYCEAJ.0002133. Patel, D. P., Srivastava, P. K., Singh, S. K., Prieto, C. and Han, D., One-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling of the River Tapi the 2006 flood, Surat, India. In Techniques for Disaster Risk Management and Mitigation (eds Srivastava, P. K. et al.), John Wiley, Germany, 2020, Chapter 16; https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119359203.ch16.

ID: 65887
Title: Probing the role of V30M mutation in human transthyretin aggregation using molecular simulations
Author: Kamini Vishwakarma and Sumit Mitta
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1343-1348 10 June (2024)
Subject: Probing the role of V30M mutation in human transthyretin aggregation using molecular simulations
Keywords: Amyloid fibrils, molecular dynamics simulation, monomers, mutation, transthyretin
Abstract: Transthyretin (TTR), also known as prealbumin, is a highly conserved protein found in several vertebrate species. Dissociation of TTR tetramer followed by aggregation and misfolding of the monomers causes genesis of insoluble amyloid fibrils, which might systematically lead to peripheral and/or autonomic neuropathy and other systemic manifestations. Structural insights into the conformational landscape of TTR monomers upon mutation are useful for understanding amyloid aggregation. In this study, we used all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the role of V30M mutation on the structure of TTR monomer. The MD simulations of the wild-type and V30M TTR monomeric showed that the V30M mutation leads to dissociation of one of the edge strands, strand C, from the core of the monomer and forms an ensemble of partially unfolded conformations. These changes can be linked to disruption in the inter-strand hydrogen bonding and the secondary structure of the monomeric state. Moreover, non-covalent interactions in the E–F loop region, which is important for aggregation propensity of TTR, are also perturbed. Overall, the MD simulations provide comparative structural insights into the dynamics of wild-type and V30M TTR monomers
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Schreiber, G. and Richardson, S. J., The evolution of gene expression, structure and function of transthyretin. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. B. Biochem. Mol. Biol., 1997, 116, 137–160. Johnson, S. M., Connelly, S., Fearns, C., Powers, E. T. and Kelly, J. W., The Transthyretin amyloidoses: from delineating the molecular mechanism of aggregation linked to pathology to a regulatoryagency-approved drug. J. Mol. Biol., 2012, 421, 185–20
Literature cited 2: Palaninathan, S. K., Nearly 200 X-ray crystal structures of transthyretin: what do they tell us about this protein and the design of drugs for TTR amyloidoses? Curr. Med. Chem., 2012, 19, 2324–2342. Hamilton, J. A. and Benson, M. D., Transthyretin: a review from a structural perspective. Cell. Mol. Life Sci., 2001, 58, 1491–1521

ID: 65886
Title: A systematic approach for identifying and reducing gaps between the pharma and software industry and transforming quality through digitalization in the pharma industry
Author: Smritie Sheth, Rohit Goyal , Ajay Ghatpande , Siddhi Kinkar, Avinash Kamthe , Chaitrali Bakhale , Atul Khandekar , Ravindra Khare and Narendra Chirmule
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1335-1342 10 June (2024)
Subject: A systematic approach for identifying and reducing gaps between the pharma and software industry and transforming quality through digitalization in the pharma industry
Keywords: Digitalization, E-QMS, LIMS, lab notebook, pharma, program management, standardization, software development
Abstract: Digitalization of data into electronic formats can transform the efficiency of an organization. Advances in software programming have enabled seamless conversion of manual workflows into electronic processes. We have described our experiences in the development of reliable and robust inter-connected electronic systems. In this article we have addressed the challenges in the development of electronic laboratory notebook software that follows a workflow in a biological laboratory. These challenges include: (i) linguistics: translation of ‘language of the scientist’ to the ‘language of the software designer’ and to the ‘language of the programmer’, (ii) limited knowledge of capabilities and limitations of technologies on either side (scientific and software) and (iii) lack of communication and documentation practices for capturing the requirements. Data integrity is the central regulatory requirement to a quality management system. Digitalization can address this challenge by addressing three major advantages – standardization of processes, increased compliance and enhanced efficiency. The observations made during the development processes of the present study can be applied to scientific software development and increasing requirements for collaboration of diverse cross-functional teams.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: COVID-19 accelerated digital transformation of the pharma industry by five years: Poll, Pharmaceutical technology, 9 March 2021. Dirnagl, U. and Przesdzing, I., A pocket guide to electronic laboratory notebooks in the academic life sciences. F1000Res., 2016, 5, 2; doi:10.12688/f1000research.7628.1.
Literature cited 2: Charoo, N. A., Khan, M. A. and Rahman, Z., Data integrity issues in pharmaceutical industry: common observations, challenges and mitigations strategies. Int. J. Pharm., 2023, 631, 122503; doi:10. 1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122503. Spencer, M., The importance of digital transformation in laboratory informatics. Technology Networks Informatics, 5 October 2020.

ID: 65885
Title: Sea buckthorn in Ladakh: navigating the path from traditional use to global prominence
Author: Kunzang Lamo, Feroz Din Sheikh , D. Namgial , Stanzin Dorjey , Jigmet Laskit and Rigzin Safal
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1330-1334 10 June (2024)
Subject: Sea buckthorn in Ladakh: navigating the path from traditional use to global prominence
Keywords: Economy, Ladakh, sea buckthorn, traditional medicine, wild.
Abstract: Ladakh covers 80–85% of the total sea buckthorn area in India which grows wild and that too luxuriantly. It contributed to the traditional medicine system for ages without any true economic benefit. After decades of recognizing its immense value in the international market, researchers across the country have recently begun to explore its niches and exploit the crop in ways never seen before. The prominence of the crop is underscored by significant government projects and missions, highlighting its increasing importance. Multinational corporations worldwide view Ladakh as a potential source of inexpensive raw materials, though government regulations and policies currently limit accessibility. Commercial exploitation of the crop has recently commenced on a modest scale, yielding substantial profits for stakeholders. While cultivation for commercial purposes remains an aspiration, Ladakh can look forward to an economic revolution with the proper technological and political support
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Singh, H. et al., Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides): a boon plant species of the Trans-Himalayas for ecological and economic development. J. Sustain. For., 2021, 40(5), 458–473. Kumar, R. and Singh, V., Economic valuation of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) in the Indian Trans-Himalaya: prospects for sustainable development. Econ. Bot., 2019, 73(4), 520–532.
Literature cited 2: Chen, Y. et al., The ecological impacts of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) in the Trans-Himalayan region: a review. J. Environ. Manage. Sustain., 2018, 4(2), 155–166. Sharma, P. and Mishra, H. P., Sea Buckthorn: a golden mine of nutraceuticals in the cold desert of Ladakh. Nutr. Food Sci. J., 2020, 6(3), 209–216

ID: 65884
Title: Civilizational antecedents and evolving ecoscapes of scientific research in G20 countries
Author: Gangan Prathap
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1325-1329 10 June (2024)
Subject: Civilizational antecedents and evolving ecoscapes of scientific research in G20 countries
Keywords: Anglo-American, citation-based ranking, G20 R&D, Holy Roman Empire
Abstract: The present article examines the evolving performance of the G20 countries in academic scientific research. It finds that an Anglo-American grouping has had a slight advantage over their non-Anglophone European cohort, and both have a significant advantage over their non-Western civilizational counterparts. This seems to be an artefact of citation-based ranking that results from differences in the native language of the countries, perhaps more than any other factor. In the recent past, some evolving features have also been captured, particularly with respect to China, Saudi Arabia, India and Turkey.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: https://clarivate.com/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2021/11/Executive_Summary_Highly_Cited_Researchers_2021.pdf Rogers, G., The Annual G20 Scorecard – Research Performance 2023, Institute for Scientific Information, Philadelphia, USA, 2023; doi:10. 14322/isi.grr.annual.g20.scorecard.2023.
Literature cited 2: Kurtz, S., The Lost History of Western Civilization, National Association of Scholars; https://www.nas.org/reports/the-lost-history-of-westerncivilization/full-report Prathap, G., Basic and applied research in selected G20 countries: a depiction using Stokes’ quadrants. Curr. Sci., 2019, 117(4), 549–551.

ID: 65883
Title: Unpacking inconsistencies in the NIRF rankings
Author: Abhishek Singh and V. Ramgopal Rao
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1321-1324 10 June (2024)
Subject: Unpacking inconsistencies in the NIRF rankings
Keywords: Bibliometric assessment, higher education institutions, perception, ranking fluctuations, regional diversity.
Abstract: India rankings released by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) since 2016, plays a vital role in the assessment of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country. While the NIRF rankings aim to enhance transparency and accountability, the present study has identified several inconsistencies, thus raising concerns about their reliability. These include huge fluctuations in the rankings, overemphasis on bibliometrics neglecting non-traditional research outputs, subjective nature of perception rankings that introduces biases, challenges in the regional diversity metric, overlooking teaching quality, inadequate transparency in methodology, questions about data integrity and limited global benchmarking. This study emphasizes on dialogue, refinement and increased transparency to ensure that the NIRF rankings evolve into a reliable benchmark for the diverse landscape of Indian higher education
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: https://support.qs.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360021756440-Dampingand-Capping-Mechanisms#:~:text=QS%20utilize%20a%20damping%20mechanism,of%20interpretation%20in%20data%20submission (accessed on 5 January 2024). Marisha, Analysing the stability of India Rankings. Curr. Sci., 2021, 120(7), 1144–1151.
Literature cited 2: Saisana, M., Saltelli, A. and Tarantola, S., Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques as tools for the quality assessment of composite indicators. J. R. Stat. Soc. Ser. A., 2005, 168(2), 307–323; doi:10.1111/j.1467-985X.2005.00350.x. Thakur, M., The impact of ranking systems on higher education and its stakeholders. J. Inst. Res., 2007, 13(1), 83–96.

ID: 65882
Title: Amendment to the National Biological Diversity Act: loaded provisions and a few concerns
Author: A. Arunachalam S. Suresh Ramanan Rinku Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2024
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 126 (11) 1319-1320 10 June (2024)
Subject: Amendment to the National Biological Diversity Act: loaded provisions and a few concerns
Keywords: None
Abstract: To broaden the scope of the National Biodiversity Act (2002) (NBA 2002), aimed at conserving biological diversity, promoting sustainable use of resources, and ensuring fair distribution of benefits arising from biological resource utilization and associated knowledge1 . This act underwent recent amendments, as notified in the Government of India Gazette notification CG-DLE-03082023-247815 on 3 August 2023 (ref. 2). This article explores the pros and cons of the amendment thereof from the citizenship perspective. The amendment to NBA 2002 has a lot of merits in provisioning goods and services for society and industry whilst enabling biodiversity research for conservation vis-à-vis utilization.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Arunachalam, A. and Roy, P., Curr. Sci., 2010, 98, 147–148.
Literature cited 2: The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, No. 10 of 2023, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, 2023.