Enter records

ID: 62885
Title: In silico evidence for extensive Ser/Thr phosphorylation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis two-component signalling systems
Author: Abhishek Garg, Nimisha Khurana, Ananya Chugh, Kangna Verma and Vandana Malhotra
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1164-1169 (2022)
Subject: In silico evidence for extensive Ser/Thr phosphorylation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis two-component signaling systems
Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, post-translational modification, serine/threonine protein kinase, twocomponent systems response regulators.
Abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis has the innate ability to adapt and survive the intracellular environments during infection. Two-component signaling (TCS) systems and serine (Ser)/threonine (Thr) protein kinases facilitate metabolic and growth adaptation by directing transcriptomic programming in response to environmental stimuli. Presently, little is known about the posttranslational regulation of TCS proteins through Phosphorylation. Using the NetPhosBac 1.0 in silico tool, we screened components of M. tuberculosis TCS systems for potential Ser/Thr phosphosites. We report extensive Ser/Thr phosphorylation of sensor kinases and response regulator proteins, suggesting that it might be distinct mechanism enabling the co-regulation of pathways impacting adaptive changes in mycobacterial growth and metabolism.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Adigun, R. and Singh, R., Tuberculosis. In StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island, Florida, USA, 2021; https://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441916/ Cole, S. T. et al., Deciphering the biology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the complete genome sequence. Nature, 1998, 393(6685), 537–544.
Literature cited 2: Av-Gay, Y. and Everett, M., The eukaryotic-like Ser/Thr protein kinases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Trends Microbiol., 2000, 8, 238–244. Nixon, B. T., Ronson, C. W. and Ausubel, F. M., Two-component regulatory systems responsive to environmental stimuli share strongly conserved domains with the nitrogen assimilation regulatory genes ntrB and ntrC. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1986, 83,7850–7854.

ID: 62884
Title: Survey of per capita consumption of vegetable oil in India
Author: Praduman Yadav, K. Alivelu, G. D. Satish Kumar and M. Sujatha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1159-1164 (2022)
Subject: Survey of per capita consumption of vegetable oil in India
Keywords: Annual oilseeds, consumption pattern, rural and urban households, survey, vegetable oil
Abstract: To analyse the domestic consumption pattern of vegetable oils, ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad, undertook an online survey through Google forms. The survey aimed at generating estimates of average household monthly per capita consumption of vegetable oils, distribution based on urban or rural households, average consumption by income groups, most preferred type of oil and brand by consumers, crop-wise percentage of consumers, food habits and consumption of the same oil or multiple oils throughout the year. Results indicated that rural households consumed 15.6 kg of oil per person per annum, whereas urban households consumed 12.4 kg. Non-vegetarians (64%) consumed 14.2 kg of oil per person per annum, whereas vegetarians (36%) consumed 12.6 kg. Mustard oil was most preferred in the north (61%) and east (35%) zones of India, followed by sunflower oil. About 28% of people in the west zone consumed soybean oil, followed by mustard oil (25%) and sunflower (25%) oil. Sunflower oil (44%) was the most popular oil in the southern zone, followed by groundnut oil (29%). Total per capita consumption of oil, including other purposes, was 14.43 kg per annum.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAOSTAT, USA, 2014. Parcell. J., Kojima, Y., Roach, A. and Cain, W., Global edible vegetable oil market trends. Biomed. J. Sci. Technol. Res., 2018, 2(1), 2282– 2291.
Literature cited 2: Statistics at a glance, DES, 2019. Arya, V., Vikash and Kiran, Consumer behaviors with regard to consumption of edible oil in Hisar. J. Pharmacogn. Phytochem. 2021, 10(1), 350–353.

ID: 62883
Title: Evaluation of distilled water as a mountant in the slide preparation for phytolith identification
Author: Rajalakshmi Karakulam and K. Krishnan
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1152-1158 (2022)
Subject: Evaluation of distilled water as a mountant in the slide preparation for phytolith identification
Keywords: Archaeobotany, distilled water, microscopy, mountant, phytolith.
Abstract: Microscopy is a critical component in phytolith research. To identify and count distinct morphotypes, phytoliths extracted from sediments are mounted on microscopy slides and observed under a microscope. The mounting material used to adhere the samples to the slides affects visibility and image quality. Mountants are chosen depending on whether a temporary or permanent slide is required. Benzyl benzoate, microscopy immersion oil, glycerol and distilled water are a few temporary mountants used for phytolith analysis. In the present study, we evaluate the efficiency of distilled water as a temporary mountant with regard to viewing efficiency, image clarity and ability of rotation of phytoliths.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Horrocks, M., Irwin, G. J., McGlone, M. S., Nichol, S. L. and Williams, L. J., Pollen, phytoliths and diatoms in prehistoric coprolites from Kohika, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. J. Archaeol. Sci., 2003, 30, 13–20. Albert, R. M., Bamfordb, M. K. and Cabanes, D., Taphonomy of phytoliths and macroplants in different soils from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania) and the application to Plio-Pleistocene paleoanthropological samples. Quaternary Int., 2006, 148, 78–94.
Literature cited 2: Piperno, D. R., Phytoliths: A Comprehensive Guide for Archaeologists and Paleoecologists, Altamira Press, Lanham, MD, USA, 2006, p. 90. Lentfer, C. J. and Boyd, W. E., An assessment of techniques for the deflocculation and removal of clays from sediments used in phytolith analysis. J. Archaeol. Sci., 1999, 26, 31–44

ID: 62882
Title: Phenacoccus saccharifolii (Green) (Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera) on sugarcane in Tamil Nadu, India
Author: N. Geetha, R. Viswanathan, T. Ramasubramanian, K. P. Salin, C. Yogambal , P. Nirmala Devi, S. Karthigeyan and N. Chitra
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1142-1151 (2022)
Subject: Phenacoccus saccharifolii (Green) (Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera) on sugarcane in Tamil Nadu, India
Keywords: Encyrtid parasitoids, fungal disease, infestation, Phenacoccus saccharifolii, Saccharum spontaneum, sugarcane
Abstract: In this study, we report Phenacoccus saccharifolii (green) on sugarcane in Tamil Nadu, India, though an earlier unreported isolated occurrence was observed by us in the farmers’ fields at Pugalur, Tamil Nadu. This pest has now become a major threat to sugarcane cultivation across the state as it can often kill the infested canes with or without the association of the fungal disease, pokkah boeng. Field observations revealed that the ratoon crop was affected more than the plant crop in the same locality. This species was found in large colonies, primarily between the –2 and +1 leaf of the sugarcane plant and hence, named as crown mealybug. Infestation leads to severe mottling in the leaf whorl and death of the central shoot. To the best of our knowledge, there are no earlier studies on the occurrence of this mealybug on Saccharum spontaneum L. Well-developed colonies showed high activity of three encyrtid parasitoids, viz. Aenasius phenococci (Ashmead), Aenasius arizonensis (Girault) and Leptomastix dactylopii Howard in the areas surveyed.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: David, H., Easwaramoorthy, S. and Jayanthi, R., Sugarcane Entomology in India, Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, 1986, p. 564. Shukla, S. K., Sharma, L., Awasthi, S. K. and Pathak, A. D., Sugarcane in India: Package of Practices for Different Agroclimatic Zones, ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, 2017, p. 64.
Literature cited 2: Joshi, A. S. and Viraktamath, C. A., The sugarcane woolly aphid, Ceratovacuna lanigera Zehntner (Hemiptera: Aphididae): its biology, pest status and control. Curr. Sci., 2004, 87(3), Sivaraman, K. et al., Sustainability of sugarcane productivity in a long-term organic production system vis-à-vis conventional system. J. Sugarcane Res., 2013, 3(2), 130–140.

ID: 62881
Title: Soil properties, land use and livelihood options in salt-affected areas of YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India
Author: P. VenkataSubbaiah, Y. Radha Krishna and M. J. Kaledhonkar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1136-1141 (2022)
Subject: Soil properties, land use and livelihood options in salt-affected areas of YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India
Keywords: Land use, livelihood options, salinity stress, salt-affected areas, soil properties
Abstract: A study was conducted to assess the soil properties, land use and livelihood options of salt-affected areas in YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India during 2020. One hundred and fifty-eight soil samples in salt-affected mandals were collected at two depths, viz. 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm at 79 locations. They were analysed for different physical and chemical properties. Sandy loam texture was predominant in 56.96% of samples and 35.44% of subsurface samples. This was followed by sandy clay loam in 18.98% surface and 34.20% subsurface samples. pH2 of soil varied from 7.5 to 10.6 and 7.3 to 10.6 for the surface and subsurface soils respectively. ECe was in the range 0.4 –46.0 dS m–1 in surface soils and 0.4–33.0 dS m–1in the subsurface soils. Residual sodium carbonate of the surface soils was in the range –63.8 to 47.8 meq/l and it was –51.6 to 68.6 meq/l for subsurface samples. Sodium adsorption ratio ranged from 0.78 to 70.0 on the surface and from 0.52 to 65.3 in subsurface soils. Exchangeable sodium percentage range from 0.9 to 80.5 and 0.6 to 75.1 in the surface and subsurface soil samples respectively. Cation exchange capacity 3.17 to 43.26 cmol (p+) kg–1 characterized surface soils, while values 5.94 to 63.51 cmol (p+) kg–1 characterized subsurface soils. The problem soils, namely saline, saline-alkali and alkali soils, were present under various land-use categories.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Shahid, S. A., Zaman, M. and Heng, L., Soil salinity: historical perspectives and a world overview of the problem. In Guideline for Salinity Assessment, Mitigation and Adoption using Nuclear and Related Techniques, Springer, Cham, Switzerland, 2018, pp. 43– 53; doi:10.1007/978-3-319-96190-3_2. Mandal, S., Raju, R., Kumar, A., Kumar, P. and Sharma, P. C., Current status of research, technology response and policy needs of salt affected soils in India – a review. Indian Soc. Coast. Agric. Res., 2018, 36, 40–53.
Literature cited 2: APSAC, Wasteland Report, Andhra Pradesh, Space Application Centre, Vijayawada, 2018, pp. 1–62. CGWB, National compilation on dynamic ground water resources of India, 2017. Central Ground Water Board, Department of Water Resources, RD&GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, July 2019, p. 298

ID: 62880
Title: Salt-pan bacteria as potential plant growth promoters and their antagonistic activity to fungal pathogens of Capsicum annuum L.
Author: M. Pawaskar , K. P. Krishnan and S. Kerkar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1129-1135 (2022)
Subject: Salt-pan bacteria as potential plant growth promoters and their antagonistic activity to fungal pathogens of Capsicum annuum L.
Keywords: Antagonistic activity, chilli, fungal pathogens, plant growth promotion, salt-pan bacteria.
Abstract: Chilli, an essential condiment worldwide, is generally cultivated in paddy fields and can be infected by fungal pathogens, thus hampering its yield. Due to increasing soil salinization, the efficacy of many biocontrol agents is poor in the fields. In this study, bacteria (about 196) isolated from the Goan salt pans in India were screened for their antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium pallidoroseum, Rhizoctonia solani and Pythium aphanidermatum. Halotolerant isolates of Bacillus tequilensis, Bacillus subtilis subsp. inaquosorum,Bacillus cabrialesii, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus paralicheniformis and Brevibacterium antiquum could grow under a wide range of pH, temperature and NaCl concentrations, and also displayed plant growth-promoting attributes.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: FAO, FAOSTAT 2020. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy, retrieved from https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL/visualize Baenas, N., Belović, M., Ilic, N., Moreno, D. A. and García-Viguera,C., Industrial use of pepper (Capsicum annum L.) derived products: technological benefits and biological advantages. Food Chem., 2019, 274, 872–885; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.09.047.
Literature cited 2: Pawaskar, M. and Kerkar, S., Microbial biocontrol agents against chilli plant pathogens over synthetic pesticides: a review. Proc. Indian Natl. Sci. Acad., 2021, 87, 578–594; https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-021-00053-2. Arora, H., Sharma, A., Sharma, S., Haron, F. F., Gafur, A., Sayyed, R. Z. and Datta, R., Pythium damping-off and root rot of Capsicum annuum L.: impacts, diagnosis, and management. Microorganisms, 2021, 9, 823; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9040823.

ID: 62879
Title: Pedestrian safety analysis at urban midblock section under mixed traffic conditions using time to collision as surrogate safety measure
Author: Hareshkumar Golakiya, Ritvik Chauhan, Chintaman Santosh Bari and Ashish Dhamaniya
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1117-1128 (2022)
Subject: Pedestrian safety analysis at urban midblock section under mixed traffic conditions using time to collision as surrogate safety measure
Keywords: Conflict analysis, mixed traffic condition, pedestrian, safety, time to collision, urban midblock.
Abstract: Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users, and pedestrian safety has become a major concern among researchers in recent years due to the increasing number of road fatalities. Conflict analysis using surrogate safety measures (SSMs) helps study pedestrian safety, as there are several limitations with collision data. Moreover, it is a cost-effective technique compared to historical crash data analysis. The present study analyses pedestrian safety at urban midblock crosswalks using time-to collision (TTC) as SSM. The data for the present study were collected from four different midblock pedestrian crossing locations in different cities in the western part of India using the videographic technique. The trajectory of pedestrians and vehicles was extracted for micro-level analysis of pedestrian–vehicle interactions. The trajectory data were further used to calculate TTC at regular time intervals during the interaction of pedestrians and vehicles. Two different types of pedestrian road crossing behavior, viz. vehicle pass first and pedestrian pass first were identified, and TTC analysis was carried out differently for each scenario. The variation of TTC based on gender and vehicle category was analysed to evaluate the influence of such parameters on pedestrian safety. The generalized linear mixed model approach was used to develop linear regression models for TTC based on empirical data. The threshold values for TTC were used to define various safety levels of pedestrians using a clustering approach.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Kadali, B. R. and Vedagiri, P., Pedestrian quality of service at unprotected mid-block crosswalk locations under mixed traffic conditions: towards quantitative approach. Transport, 2016, 33(2),302–314. WHO, Global status report on road safety. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2018, pp. 1–42
Literature cited 2: Jain, U. and Rastogi, R., Pedestrian crossing warrants – a review of global practices. Curr. Sci., 2016, 111(6), 1016–1027. Mohan, D., Tsimhoni, O., Sivak, M. and Flannagan, M., Road safety in India: challenges and opportunities. In UMTR1-2009-1, The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, 2009, pp. 1–57

ID: 62878
Title: Stream travel time reliability using GPS-equipped probe vehicles
Author: Sharmili Banik, B. Anil Kumar, and Lelitha Vanajakshi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1107-1116 (2022)
Subject: Stream travel time reliability using GPS-equipped probe vehicles
Keywords: Bus probes, contingency tables, mixed traffic, travel time reliability, Wi-Fi sensors.
Abstract: Travel time reliability (TTR) is an important measure to quantify the variation in travel times. Currently, there is no single reliability metric appropriate across all locations, that is easily understandable and can be used to compare across facilities. Moreover, reliability analysis of facilities from developing countries is limited due to the non-availability of extensive data required for such an analysis. The present study addresses these gaps. It identifies a reliable data source for such analysis of heterogeneous, lane-less traffic, compares existing reliability measures for the data, highlights the advantages and disadvantages, proposes a measure that may be more suitable for such traffic with high variability, and finally illustrates how reliability analysis under such conditions can be done with limited data sources such as GPS-fitted transit vehicles. Using such commonly available data for traffic stream reliability analysis is the ultimate aim of this study. For validation, stream travel time from Wi-Fi scanners is used. The study analyses the performance of various reliability measures and identifies the most suitable ones. Following this, a reliability measure, i.e. capacity buffer index (CBI), is developed to identify the unreliable congested regimes or periods, keeping time taken to travel at capacity conditions as the benchmark. From the results, it has been observed that CBI is in agreement with the real-field conditions in 94% of the cases, whereas it is 75% buffer time index. Finally, the feasibility of using bus probes to measure stream TTR is checked. Results show that bus probes can be an indicator of stream reliability and the developed measure can effectively capture the relationship between stream and bus TTR.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Vaziri, M. and Lam, T. N., Perceived factors affecting driver route decisions. J. Transp. Eng., 1983, 109(2), 297–311. Chang, Y. B. and Stopher, P. R., Defining the perceived attributes of travel modes for urban work trips. Transp. Plann. Technol., 1981, 7(1), 55–65
Literature cited 2: Prashker, J. N., Direct analysis of the perceived importance of attributes of reliability of travel modes in urban travel. Transportation, 1979, 8(4), 329–346. Ali, S. S. M., George, B., Vanajakshi, L. and Venkatraman, J., A multiple inductive loop vehicle detection system for heterogeneous and lane-less traffic. IEEE Trans. Instrument. Measure., 2012, 61(5), 1353–1360.

ID: 62877
Title: Individual and institutional factors influencing the research productivity of agricultural scientists
Author: Apoorva Veldandi, K. Madhu Babu, V. Ravinder Naik and G. E. C. H. Vidya Sagar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1101-1106 (2022)
Subject: Individual and institutional factors influencing the research productivity of agricultural scientists
Keywords: Agricultural scientists, individual and institutional factors, research productivity.
Abstract: In this study, the individual factors influencing the research productivity of agricultural scientists at the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University were Psycho-social factors, including commitment, achievement motivation, self-efficacy, time-utilization pattern, level of aspiration and creativity, psycho-motor factors like discipline, and research knowledge and skills contributed to 66.53% of the variance. The institutional factors influencing research productivity were research-related factors, including the availability of the mentoring system and research assistance, infrastructural facilities, feasibility for interdisciplinary research, research collaboration and professional development opportunities, work flexibility, mission and vision of the university, participative leadership and decision-making, performance-linked promotional opportunity, job-related factors, including involvement in administrative activities and job security, contributed to 61.07% of the variance.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Agha, N. C., Adam, A. U. and Ujebe, N., Assessing the relevance of academic research productivity in teaching practices in Nigerian Universities. Int. J. Develop. Manage. Rev., 2018, 13(1). Charles, S. W., Karen, J., Lisa, A. B. and Richard, S. A., Factors influencing the research productivity of business faculty. Int. J. Product. Performance Manage., 2012, 61(6), 584–602; doi:10.1108/174104- 01211249175.
Literature cited 2: Ghanta, J. R., Scientific productivity of agricultural scientists – an activity analysis approach. Ph.D. thesis. Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University, Hyderabad, 1985. . Joe, W. K., James, E. B., Chadwick, C. H. and Heather, A. W., Factors associated with research productivity of agricultural education faculty. J. Agric. Educ., 2002, 43(3), 1–10; doi:10.5032/jae.2002.03001.

ID: 62876
Title: Graphene-based TiO2 photocatalysts for water decontamination: a brief overview of photocatalytic and antimicrobial performances
Author: Deepthi John and V. Sivanandan Achari
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9)1089-1100 (2022)
Subject: Graphene-based TiO2 photocatalysts for water decontamination: a brief overview of photocatalytic and antimicrobial performances
Keywords: Antimicrobial performance, emerging contaminants, photocatalytic activity, titanium dioxide–graphene nanocomposites, water treatment.
Abstract: This article highlights the major accomplishments in photocatalytic research and reported-antimicrobial activities of graphene-based titanium dioxide (TiO2) hybrids. Special focus is given to the applications of TiO2–graphene and its major forms (TiO2–graphene oxide and TiO2–reduced graphene oxide) in wastewater treatments. Particularly, for systems envisaged for removing emerging micro-pollutants and microbial pathogens in real-life scenarios. The efficiency of the photocatalysts is found to be influenced by several factors, including the surface, chemical, morphological and interfacial characteristics of the hybrids. The mode of interaction of catalysts with pollutants, the percentage of graphene content and the nature of irradiation sources could alter the expected photocatalytic efficacy. It is concluded that the incorporation of graphene in TiO2 improves its photocatalytic performance by boosting photo-responsiveness and suppressing electron–hole recombination. The oxidative stress by reactive oxygen species and membrane stress due to the material’s physico-chemical properties account for the observed antimicrobial activities under controlled conditions of light irradiation.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bhatia, V. and Dhir, A., Transition metal doped TiO2 mediated photocatalytic degradation of anti-inflammatory drug under solar irradiations. J. Environ. Chem. Eng., 2016, 4, 1267–1273. Ola, O. and Maroto-Valer, M. M., Transition metal oxide based TiO2 nanoparticles for visible light induced CO2 photoreduction. Appl. Catal. A, 2015, 502, 114–121.
Literature cited 2: Martins, N. C. T., Ângelo, J., Girão, A. V., Trindade, T., Andrade, L. and Mendes, A., N-doped carbon quantum dots/TiO2 composite with improved photocatalytic activity. Appl. Catal. B, 2016, 193, 67–74. Chung, J., Kim, S.-R. and Kim, J.-O., Fabrication and characterization of CdS doped TiO2 nanotube composite and its photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange. Water Sci. Technol.,2015, 72, 1341–1347.

ID: 62875
Title: Research contribution of major centrally funded institution systems of India
Author: Anurag Kanaujia, Prashasti Singh, Abhirup Nandy and Vivek Kumar Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9) 1082-1088 (2022)
Subject: Research contribution of major centrally funded institution systems of India
Keywords: Central government, gross expenditure, institution systems, knowledge production, research and development
Abstract: India is now one of the major knowledge producers in the world, ranking among the top five countries in total research output. The institutional set-up for research and development (R&D) in the country comprises a diverse set, including universities, Government departments, research laboratories and private sector institutions. It may be noted that more than 45% share of India’s gross expenditure on R&D comes from the Central Government. In this context, this article explores the quantum of research contribution of centrally funded institutions and institution systems in India. The volume, proportionate share and growth patterns of research publications from the major centrally funded institutions, organized in 16 groups, are analyzed. These institutions account for 67.54% of the country’s research output from 2001 to 2020. The research output of the centrally funded institutions in India has increased steadily since 2001, with a good value for compounded annual growth rate. This article presents noteworthy insights into the scientific research production of India that may be useful to policymakers, researchers and science practitioners. It presents a case for increased activity by the state governments and private sector to further the cause of sustainable and inclusive R&D in the country.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Marisha, Banshal, S. K. and Singh, V. K., Research performance of central universities in India. Curr. Sci., 2017, 112(11), 2198–2207. Basu, A., Banshal, S. K., Singhal, K. and Singh, V. K., designing a composite index for research performance evaluation at the national or regional level: ranking central universities in India. Scientometrics, 2016, 107(3), 1171–1193.
Literature cited 2: Banshal, S. K., Singh, V. K., Basu, A. and Muhuri, P. K., Research performance of the Indian Institutes of Technology. Curr. Sci., 2017, 112(5), 923–932. Prathap, G. and Gupta, B. M., Ranking of Indian engineering and technological institutes for their research performance during 1999–2008. Curr. Sci., 2009, 97(3), 304–306.

ID: 62874
Title: Dichogamy and reproductive success in Tara spinosa (Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae)
Author: Carlos sanchez ocharan Eduardo Molinari-novoa, Elena Nunez-Linares Ana Arista
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9) 1080-1081 (2022)
Subject: Dichogamy and reproductive success in Tara spinosa (Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae)
Keywords: Dichogamy,reproductive success, Tara spinosa, Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae
Abstract: Studies on the reproductive strategies of plants are important as they allow us to understand the life cycles of various plant species and provide clues regarding the processes of their macroevolution. Thus, it is necessary to understand the causes for the functionality of different mating systems in plants, even in closely related species, for example, several species within Fabaceae, which have been poorly studied in terms of their reproductive biology, and taxonomic relationships
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Barret, S., Trends Plant Sci., 1998, 3(18), 335–341; https://doi.org/10.1016/S1360- 1385(98)01299-0. Barret, S., Harder, L. and Worley, A., Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, Ser. B, 1996, 351, 1271–1280; https://doi.org/10. 1098/rstb.1996.0110
Literature cited 2: Rodríguez-Riaño, T., Ortega-Olivencia, A. and Devesa, J., Ruizia, 1999, 16, 5–163. Endress, P., Diversity and Evolutionary Biology of Tropical Flowers, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1996, pp. 111–130.

ID: 62873
Title: Potential nudging of transboundary water relations in the context of climate change
Author: Anwar Sadat
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (9) 1075-1076 (2022)
Subject: Potential nudging of transboundary water relations in the context of climate change
Keywords: Potential nudging of transboundary, climate change
Abstract: After the Second World War, the focus of international law discourse relating to water, transboundary in nature, has shifted from navigation to non-navigational aspects such as drinking, agriculture, industrial use and projects transboundary in nature. The riparian states treat the rivers as a prospective role in their economic development. Their entitlement is derived from permanent sovereignty over natural resources (PSNR), which is subject to two constraints: (i) not to cause significant harm (no harm rule, hereinafter NHR, see Trail Smelter Arbitral Tribunal Decision, 33 AJIL 182 (1939)) and (ii) equitable and reasonable utilization of water course (hereinafter ERU). The authority that underpins the subject of a shared watercourse is the 1929 Judgment of the Permanent Court of International Justice, regarding navigation on the River Oder in Europe (Territorial Jurisdiction of the International Commission of the River Oder, Judgment No. 16, 1929, PCIJ, Series A, No. 23, p. 27).
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:

ID: 62872
Title: Machine Learning Techniques for Space Weather
Author: Enrico Camporeale, Simon Wing and Jay Johnson reviewed by Nur Dallia Khirul Ashar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (8) 1057-1058 (2022)
Subject: Machine Learning Techniques for Space Weather
Keywords: Machine Learning Techniques, space, weather
Abstract: This book written in a specialized learning style and employing machine learning is designed to provide a brief understanding of space weather information. It attempts to bridge the gap between the applicability of machine learning to broad applications and agreement and mutual understanding by presenting a persuasive machine learning approach to space weather studies. Due to the wide availability of data and primarily open-source datasets, the rising trend and demand in machine learning offer new avenues to comprehend the scientific phenomena of early space weather occurrences.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
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ID: 62871
Title: Global Warming Science: A Quantitative Introduction to Climate Change and its Consequences.
Author: Eli Tziperman reviewed by Srinivasan
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (8) 1057-1057 (2022)
Subject: Global Warming Science: A Quantitative Introduction to Climate Change and its Consequences.
Keywords: Global Warming Science, quantitative Introduction, climate change
Abstract: Global warming is one of the great challenges human beings will face in the 21st century. Hence young people are concerned about their future in this changing world. Many popular books have been published on this topic, written not for students but the general public. Such books lack academic rigour and do not provide a quantitative understanding of this complex issue. The faculty who teach an introductory course on climate change do not have many good books to recommend to their students.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
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