39 research outputs found
Ischaemum dioecum Landge & R. D. Shinde 2022, sp. nov.
No full textIschaemum dioecum Landge & R. D. Shinde, sp. nov. (Figs. 1, 2 & 3) Type:— INDIA. Maharashtra state: Raigad district, near Patanus village, 8 August 2021, 18°26’51.7”N 73°22’17.1”E, Shahid Nawaz PR-01 A (BLAT) [ holotype ]; isotype: Shahid Nawaz PR-01 B (BLAT) [pistillate plant specimens]. Diagnosis:—Ephemeral habit, up to 20 cm high, with numerous stilt-roots from nodes; dioecious breeding system; leaves long, hispid, acute at the base and petioled; lower glume of the sessile and pedicelled spikelet (if present) 2–4- nerved; lower floret in the sessile spikelet absent or if present then barren, elodiculate and epaleate; upper floret of the staminate plant is lodiculate (lodicules giant, ca. 3.5 mm long) bearing four stamens with anthers 6.0– 10 mm long on an extremely filiform and extraordinarily elongated filaments ca. 15 mm long; upper floret of the pistillate plant is elodiculate with unusually long style ca. 14 mm long with two plumose stigma, purplish, 6.0–10 (–14) m long; peduncle in staminate plant glandular beset with tubercle-based trichomes; palea apex bi-dentate most often with a central arista; pedicelled spikelet (if present) half as long as the sessile spikelet, barren, reduced to a single glume; pedicel 1/2–4/5 of the sessile spikelet, slender, linear glabrous or ciliate on the margin. Description:—Male plant: Ephemeral, ca. 20 cm, geniculately ascending, non-caespitose, extremely delicate, weak and slender with numerous maroonish-red stilt-roots (roots very delicate and may easily break) from the nodes bearing micro papillae near the base. Leaf blade linear, acuminate, very thin membranous, hispid, 2.0–5.0 × 0.3– 0.5 cm, acute at the base with a long pseudopetiole (ca. 1.5 cm long), puberulous. Ligule ca. 3.0–4.0 mm long, oblong-lanceolate, membranous, lacerated at the apex into few segments, hairy on the margin or not. Sheath very slender, terete, striated, glabrous, margin sub-hyaline-membranous strongly overlapping, 1.0– 3.5 cm long, not keeled. Inflorescence a solitary spiciform-raceme fully exserted from the spathaceous sheath. Peduncle broad, somewhat swollen bearing tubercle-based bristles, elongated, with glandular depressions oozing a dense brownish viscous fluid. Spiciform-raceme ca. 28–42 mm long, solitary, comprising three well developed sessile spikelets with bare pedicels (on maturity deciduous together with the adjacent rhachis internode and pedicel) pedicelled spikelets are sometimes present but by a single, reduced glume. Sessile spikelet: linear-oblong, awnless, 9.0–12 (–13) mm long (including a callus); callus, ca. 1.2–2.2 mm long, densely bearded with white hairs (i.e. 6.0–9.0 mm long), reaching up to the middle of the sessile spikelet; lower glume: linear-oblong, 8.0–10 (–13) × 2.0–3.0 (3.5) mm, slightly longer than the upper glume, convex base wards and flattened upwards, initially herbaceous-membranous and later becoming somewhat coriaceous, scabrous, puberulous or glabrous, apex acute, 2–4-nerved (only 2 clearly visible other two obscure), nerves not anastomosing, margin evenly inflexed throughout the length, sharply keeled upwards, glabrous, no trace of nodulations and rugosity; upper glume: linear-lanceolate, 7.0–9.0 (–12) × 2.2–3.3 (–3.8) mm, 1–3-nerved, glabrous, acute, naviculate, keeled, slightly winged near the apex, ciliate, margins inflexed. Floret: lower floret is absent only upper floret is present, staminate: lemma linear-lanceolate, almost equal to upper glume in length but narrower, 3-nerved, glabrous, hyaline-membranous, acute, un-awned; palea linear long obspatulate, sub-equal to its lemma, broadest at the base, hyaline-membranous, 3-nerved, apex bi-dentate (often with a distinct arista from the sinus (excurrent mid-nerve), arista ca. 3.0– 4.5 mm long), glabrous. Pedicelled spikelet: Absent most of the times, if present then by a single 2-nerved reduced glume ca. 5.0 mm long. Pedicel linear, slender, 7.0– 10 mm long, ciliate on both the angles or completely glabrous. Rhachis internode sub-equal to the pedicel and almost identical in shape, ciliate on both the angles or completely glabrous, fragile and articulate. Stamens four, filaments slender, drooping, considerably elongated during anthesis reaching ca. 15 mm long; anthers 6.0– 10 mm long, orangish-yellow, exhibiting both lateral and apical dehiscence. Lodicules fleshy, sub-hyaline, clavate, sharply oblique at the apex, ca. 3.5 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets short almost reduced to a glume, barren or absent altogether. Female plant: An extremely slender, delicate, geniculately ascending, stilt-rooted, non-caespitose ephemeral grass, 10–14 cm high. Culm solitary, weak, un-branched, striated, up to 12-noded, hardly exceeding 0.6 mm diameter; the root system is extremely shallow; internodes as long as the sheath or slightly longer, terete; nodes swollen, glabrous, some lower and few upper ones with stilt roots up to about half the length of the plant. Sheaths 0.8–2.5 cm long, terete, glabrous or setaceous near the margin with bulbousbased trichomes (ca. 3.0 mm long), tightly en-clasping and disintegrating in the lower portion of the culm during anthesis, sheath near the inflorescence is quite broad, somewhat ribbed, slipping-off and slightly laterally compressed. Ligule membranous, ca. 1.0 mm long, slightly brownish, obtuse to somewhat truncate at the apex with appressed white hairs on the adaxial side. Blade: lower linear-lanceolate longer than the upper ones, 0.8–2.0 × 0.2–0.3 cm, the ones about the inflorescence are ovate-elliptic to slightly oblongish in outline, beset with bulbous-based trichomes (1.0– 1.5 mm long) on both the surfaces, margins uniseriately-pectinate. Inflorescence a highly reduced, solitary (with a triad of one sessile spikelet and two bare pedicels, sometimes with a single glume) or binate (each spiciform-raceme is reduced to only single sessile spikelet accompanied by a barren pedicel) spiciform-raceme, 5.0– 5.6 mm long, almost completely subtended by a spathaceous sheath; fragile on maturity and sessile spikelets deciduous together with the adjacent rhachis internode and pedicel. Peduncle very short, slender, clavate, glabrous, rarely more than 10 mm long, apex dilated and broad. Spikelets either sessile or in a combination of one sessile and other pedicelled (often reduced to a single, barren glume) in a raceme. Sessile spikelet: ovate-lanceolate, 5.0– 5.6 mm long (including a callus), strictly pistillate; callus 0.8–1.0 mm long, slightly oblique, broad, bearded with white hairs almost reaching the middle of the sessile spikelet; lower glume: ovate-lanceolate, 5.0–5.6 × 1.5–1.8 mm (un-opened, broadest near the base), slightly shorter than the upper glume, initially herbaceous-membranous and later becoming somewhat coriaceous, convex towards the base with two bosses and flattened upwards (sometimes with two shallow bosses in the middle and below), glabrous or hairy on the back, apex acute to somewhat bi-dentate with a short hyaline portion, 2–4-nerved (only two clearly visible others obscure), nerves not anastomosing, margins glabrous, broadly and evenly inflexed throughout the length, keels acute, no trace of nodulations and rugosity; upper glume: ovate-lanceolate, 5.1–5.7 × 1.5–1.8 mm (broadest at the base), navicular, keel herbaceous, 3-nerved, glabrous, sub-hylaine, apex acute, devoid of a hump in the middle, margin hyaline, glabrous and inflexed; lower floret: entirely absent (if present then barren and is only represented by an epaleate lemma which is ovate-lanceolate, 3.2 mm long (broadest near the base), barren, without lodicules, glabrous, hyaline-membranous, 1–3-nerved, apex obtuse or slightly oblique); upper floret: strictly female/ pistillate, elodiculate: upper lemma linear-lanceolate, 4.0–5.4 × 0.8–1.0 mm, sub-equal to lower glume, paleate, bi-fid (lobes acuminate, 1.8–2.5 mm long), glabrous, awn geniculate issuing from the sinus, 12.5 mm long (column brown 5.0 mm long and bristle pale, scabrid, 7.5 mm long), slightly humped in the middle on the dorsal side; upper palea: very linear, almost obspatulate with a broad base (enclosing an ovary) and linear upper portion, 3.0–4.0 × 0.3–0.4 mm (broadest at the base), very delicate, hyaline-membranous, margin inflexed, broader at the base, glabrous, apex bidentate (often shortly mucronate from the sinus (excurrent mid-nerve), mucro ca. 1.0–2.0 mm long), finely 3-nerved; pistil: ovary ovoid, 1.0 mm long, style ca. 14 mm long (when young, highly coiled inside the spikelet), two stigma plumose, purplish, 6.0–10 (–14) mm long; lodicules absent; caryopsis not seen. Pedicelled spikelet: represented only by a bare pedicel, which is extremely narrow, not swollen, linear, 3.2–4.0 × 0.2–0.3 mm, unusually long, flattened, excavated throughout on the inner angle, confluent into the callus, hairy along the margins or completely glabrous, apex densely bearded or with a calloid outgrowth, mostly devoid of pedicelled spikelet sometimes with a single lower glume (un-identical to the lower glume of sessile spikelet, linear-elliptic 3.2 mm long, 2–4-nerved (only two are clearly visible), sub-hyaline, herbaceous, convex on the back and apex bi-dentate). Distribution:—Hitherto, based on our surveys, the species has been observed only in a couple of localities i.e. near Patanus village and Rawalje village, Raigad District, Maharashtra (Western Ghats), India. Ischaemum dioecum is apparently an extremely rare and narrow endemic species in the genus. Flowering and fruiting:—August to mid September (life cycle of individuals hardly exceeding 20 days). Additional specimen examined:— INDIA. Maharashtra state: Raigad district, near Rawalje village, 24 August 2021, 18°26’36.9”N 73°21’29.0”E, Shahid Nawaz RR-05 (BLAT) [staminate plant specimen, spikelets were removed for the study]. Habitats and ecology:—In complex network of dense roots mingled with seasonally wet thin film of soil at the base of other taller grass species such as: Ischaemum diplopogon Hooker (1896: 129), Heteropogon ritchiei & Dimeria blatteri Bor (1949: 70), on the flank of the river associated with rocky outcrops and on the slope of basalt rocks. The microhabitats are protected from the direct sunlight, wind and precipitation; thus are special with their own specific environmental conditions that include moisture, temperature and light. These factors are regulated by the presence of benefactor species (three mentioned above) from directly influencing I. dioecum therefore contributing positively in survival of this species. In the late October, when monsoon subsides, the resultant heat generated by the basalt rocks, on prolonged exposure to sunlight is immense; eradicating all the annual and transient vegetation cover. In such challenging habitats, plants that are acclimatized rapidly complete their life cycle by bearing seeds. In which I. dioecum has the shortest life cycle, hardly exceeding 20 days! Associated species:— Arundinella pumila Steudel (1854: 114), Heteropogon ritchiei, Ischaemum diplopogon, Dimeria blatteri, Ischaemum barbatum Retzius (1791: 35), I. semisagittatum Roxburgh (1832: 320), Ischaemum sp., Geissaspis sp. Etymology:—The epithet alludes to a dioecious breeding system of the species, where male and female plants are sexually separate individuals. Population and threat:—In the first locality the habitats are encroached and disturbed by tourists visiting Devkund waterfall during monsoon when the individuals are in flowering. The first author has also observed that the shallow shores of the river attract many villagers especially women for washing clothes. However, the second locality is far from the reach, at least for villagers and their livestock. The basalt slopes make the domestic quadrupeds unable to climb and disturb the thin population of Ischaemum dioecum. These basalt habitats, during monsoon, are extremely slippery and difficult to climb upon. At least because of this, there the population of this extremely rare grass is, perhaps, on a small magnitude, protected. However, in this habitats Celosia sp. is very troublesome and exhibits a great possession. It may threat the existence of this species in future. IUCN status:—Based on our field observations, it can be asserted that the population is severely fragmented and confined over the two localities (Figs. 3 & 4) few kilometers apart from each other. The type locality exhibits tourist encroachment and disturbance. The total number of individuals in both the subpopulations is less than 25 in which female plants are relatively higher in numbers as compared to the male counterparts. The observed data suggests 7 male individuals over 18 female individuals. Hitherto, based on the limited surveys, data is not available to discuss declination thus those categories and criteria cannot be assessed. We have not seen Ischaemum dioecum in any other locality except the two given though surveyed the region more or less for almost a month during monsoon. Based on this it is perhaps not too quick to assess the plant as Critically Endangered (CR) under B1 (Extent of occurrence <100 km 2), D (mature individuals <50) of IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (2019). Notes:—Since, the species is extremely delicate, slender, weak and non-tufted, it demands an additional support from the stilt-roots, that are present up to almost half of the plant height assisting it to stand upright without falling. In some specimens stilt-roots are present till the last node i.e. below the inflorescence, and may measure up to 12 cm high. The staminate and pistillate plants differed quite sufficiently in appearance of the inflorescence that one might easily mistake them for members of different species! The most striking contrast between the two is that the formers are essentially awnless, whilst those of the pistillate plants bear conspicuous awns (Figs. 1 & 2). The features that are common in both plants are such as: solitary habit with stilt-roots; leaves thin-membranous, hispid, long, petioled and acute at the base; ligule membranous; few spikelets up to three or less than three in the spiciform-raceme; 2–4-nerved lower glumes of the sessile spikelets; lower floret absent; upper palea bi-dentate at the apex with an arista from the sinus and pedicelled spikelets absent or reduced to a single glume i.e. half the length of the sessile spikelets. Females in comparison to males are, at least somewhat, easier to search in the field and tend to exist in a relatively higher numbers. Whilst, the male plants are very few and extremely rare in occurrence and challenging to trace; so far, we, during our surveys, found only few male plants in which only two were collected for further study. As compared to the female plants, males are slightly taller, more delicate, bearing thinner leaves and higher number of stilt-roots.Published as part of Landge, Shahid Nawaz & Shinde, Rajendra D., 2022, Ischaemum dioecum (Poaceae: Andropogoneae): the most strangest new species from Northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India, pp. 237-255 in Phytotaxa 533 (5) on pages 239-242, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.533.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/614492
Preparation, characterization and catalytic application of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in the synthesis of benzimidazoles
No full text
Low-Cost Automated Paper Strip Reader (APSR)
No full textPaper strip analyzer or a medical strip reader is a low-cost Paper-based Analytical Device (PAD) that is easy-to-use and widely accepted Point-Of-Care (POC) alternative to the relatively complex and expensive ELISA (Enzyme-linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) tests. These devices are used for determining the chemical concentrations (pH, glucose, protein, nitrite, etc.) of the body fluids (blood, urine, sweat, saliva, etc.) to monitor organ functionality and ensure early diagnosis of potential diseases. The test paper strips can be analyzed by comparing the colour changes on the test strip to the existing colour chart either by the operator’s visual interpretation or by a smartphone-based automated system which is a fairly new technology from the past decade. Apart from being time consuming, the manual (naked eye) interpretation of results is subject to the robustness of the clinicians’ eyesight and ambient lighting conditions that may potentially introduce an error while obtaining results. This presented the need to automate this process of colour detection. Despite the faster computation speed of smartphone-based systems, they may introduce image acquisition related errors owing to the varying camera resolutions in different smartphone models. Smartphones also face the issue of poor battery backup and software (in)compatibility. There exists a research gap in terms of an automated technology that is ASSURED: A = Affordable, S = Sensitive, S =Specific, U = User-friendly, R = Rapid & Robust, E = Equipment-free, D = Deliverable. These are the requirements proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for commercial medical sensors. In this study, we try to overcome the shortcomings of smartphone-based technology while adhering to the ASSURED criteria. We present a fully functioning prototype of a 3D printed Raspberry-Pi microcontroller based paper strip reader with a rechargeable battery and consistent illumination. The device is paired with a backend Python program and a user-friendly GUI to display the results. The device also has a feature to export the results with one click to your clinician via email. APSR algorithm is 88.7% accurate and the speed of operation is≈5s which is faster than the best speed reported in the literature yet. The future scope involves making use of Machine Learning and Deep Learning to further improve the algorithm.Biomedical Engineering | Bioelectronic
Transplantation of healthcare financing policy from the United Kingdom to India
No full textThe staggering statistics in health conditions of India demand quick actions, and thus it is advised to come up with a solution which takes less time as compared to a complete design of a new system. This paper starts with background study of UK, Netherlands and Indian health care financing models, followed by an analysis ofeasibility of transplantation of financing policies from the UK to India. It is proved from literature survey that UK and Netherlands has one of the best financing models. Though Netherlands' model is also considered; but due toeconomic incompatibility of model in India, and UK's similar legislation background with India, UK's health care system is chosen to be analyzed further as a donor country in this case. A thorough study through Hofstede's cultural dimensions (Hofstede, Hofstede, and Minkov, 2010),family of nations, and actors pulling-in and goodness of fit perspectives study end with strategies of implementation to provide some recommendations for successful transplantation. The results of transplantation can be interpreted as "great example" (Rose, 1993) if the strategies of implementation are clearly kept in mind.Technology, Policy and Managemen
An investigative and evaluative study of factors affecting quality of agricultural and farm information services in Kerala
No full textAgriculture is not only a country’s backbone of food, livelihood and ecological security systems, but is also the very soul of its sovereignty. In Kerala population density is high and land is scarce. To achieve sustainable advancement in quality of human life, meeting the domestic food requirement is to be given foremost priority in development plans. As the area of cultivation cannot be increased and growth of population cannot be controlled growth in food production is to be achieved by qualitative improvement in farming. This requires improvements in material inputs, farming techniques, storage technology and research. Effective integration of these factors is tied closely to adequate information flow, which can be ensured only by an efficient information system for agricultural education, research, extension and development. So evaluation and improvement of existing information services is very crucial for sustainable agricultural growth. The study evaluates the existing information resources, facilities, services, possibilities for resource sharing, accessibility of external sources, and the factors that affect the quality and efficiency of information services in agricultural sector. Coverage is limited to the State of Kerala. Sample consist 105 institutions of different levels, and information users consisting of 426 scientists and 220 farmers. Different sets of questionnaires and interview schedule were used to elicit information. The study found that agricultural research conducted at various institutions in the region at huge public expense has generated knowledge for improving production. Along with these huge collections of acquired content is also stored in the sector. But when a farmer, an extension worker, a scientist or an administrator needs information it is not easily accessible. The study found that agricultural sector fails to effectively bank on information resources available due to the lack of an information system and network. Recommends an Agricultural and Farm Information System for Kerala. Suggests a model plan for a computer communication network for resource sharing between the agricultural institutions in the State, which will also ensure, smooth flow of results of research down to the grassroots level to achieve maximum productivity in agriculture
Effect of seed polymer coating with micronutrients and foliar spray on seed quality parameters of resultant seed in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
No full textA laboratory experiment was carried out in the Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur to study the effect of seed polymer coating with micronutrients and foliar spray on the resultant seed quality parameters of chickpea. Among the seventeen different treatments, resultant chickpea seeds obtained from treatment polymer coated seeds (each@ 6 ml/kg of seed) along with the combination of micronutrients viz.,ZnSO4 + Boron + Ammonium molybdate + FeSO4 ( each @ 2 g/kg of seed ) and two foliar sprays (0.5 % + 0.2 % + 0.1% + 0.5 %, respectively, except ZnSO4 and FeSO4 in EDTA form) at an interval of 10 days during flowering stage (50 and 60 days after sowing) recorded significantly highest hundred seed weight (25.9 g), germination (97.00 %), speed of germination (18.50), shoot length (8.43 cm), root length (19.80 cm), seedling dry weight (43.30 mg) and seedling vigour index (2738) compared to all other treatments and control (23.6 g, 92.05 %, 13.74, 5.48 cm, 16.30 cm, 34.00 mg and 2004, respectively) and hence above treatment combinations can be used in order to produce good quality seeds
Investigating the attainment of open government data objectives: Is there a mismatch between objectives and results?
No full textThe objectives of open government data initiatives range from enhancing transparency and accountability to increasing innovation and participation. However, there is a lack of knowledge of the extent to which the objectives of open government data initiatives are achieved. This article investigates the relationship between the objectives of open government data initiatives and the benefits delivered. A total of 168 survey responses concerning 156 open government data initiatives at different government levels worldwide suggest that operational and technical benefits are the benefits most often delivered, followed by economic benefits and, finally, societal benefits. Surprisingly, our study suggests that whether an open government data initiative delivers a benefit (e.g. increased openness, trust or innovation) is not significantly affected by having an objective related to the delivery of that benefit. The objectives of state- and national-level open government data initiatives are more often achieved than those of local- and regional-level open government data initiatives.Information and Communication Technolog
