419 research outputs found
Pseudoceros vishnui Dixit, Raghunathan & Chandra, 2017, sp. nov.
No full textPseudoceros vishnui sp. nov. Figures 6–8; Table. 1 Type material: Holotype: One specimen (20 x 15 mm) as serial sections of reproductive structures (7 Slides), remainder of animal in 70% ethanol. Collected 19.03.2015, subtidally from 10 m depth, Pongibalu (Lat: 11°30.573’N, Long: 92°39.123’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16841). Paratypes: One specimen (15 x 10 mm) as serial sections of reproductive structures (5 Slides), remainder of animal in 70% ethanol. Same as holotype (ZSI/ANRC-16842). One specimen (11 x 8 mm) in 70% EtOh. Collected 0 8.09.2015, subtidally from 15 m depth, Pongibalu (Lat: 11°30.573’N, Long: 92°39.123’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16843). One specimen (11 x 8 mm) in 70% EtOh. Collected 15.12.2016, subtidally from 9 m depth, Rutland Island (Lat: 11°30.119’N, Long: 92°37.112’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16844). Distribution. Pongibalu, South Andaman, India. Additional photographic record from Burma (Newman & Cannon, 2005). Diagnosis. Body colour cream, solid purple to violet spots all over body. Margin made up of non-continuous dark blue spots of various sizes. Etymology. This species is named after Vishnu Kumar Dixit, father of the first author, in acknowledgment of his support throughout his research on marine flatworms. Synonyms. It is likely that it corresponds to Pseudoceros sp. 38, Newman & Cannon (2005), CD-ROM and to Pseudoceros sp., Kuiter & Debelius (2009), see taxonomic remarks below. Description. Live. Body oval and smooth, margin without any ruffles. Many purple to violet coloured spots, of variable sizes, more or less circular are present all over the body (Fig. 6A, B). Blue pseudotentacles, small, formed by simple folds of the anterior margin with scattered eyespots on each pseudotentacle on either side. Cerebral eyespot cluster with 40–43 eyes (Fig. 6 C). Ventral side cream in colour. Margin made up of small blue coloured discontinuous spots of various sizes. Preserved. Holotype 15 mm long and 12 mm wide at central portion. Translucent due to loss of colour on fixation but some faint purple spots visible in paratype specimen. Dorsal epidermis very rough and uneven with thickens 45 to 55 µm and is twice the thickness of ventral epidermis which is 18–22 µm and smooth. Nucleus present at the base while rhabdites near dorsal surface. A distinct basement membrane clearly separates epithelium from underlying muscles. Distance between pharyngeal mouth and sucker is 4.53 mm. Male and female gonopores 1.03 mm apart. Pharynx small and ruffled with 7 folds. Male pore 1.93 mm from pharyngeal mouth and is situated between last pair of pharyngeal folds. Sucker 1.3 mm from female pore. Reproductive characters. Measurements refer to length in a 15 mm long worm, the holotype. Seminal vesicle (Fig. 7 A) elongate and oval (490 x 421 µm), heavily muscularized, parallel to longitudinal body axis. Prostatic vesicle (Fig. 7 A) located anterior to seminal vesicle and just above male atrium. It is slightly tapering in shape downwards (180 x 168 µm) with thickness of inner wall varying from 30 to 50 µm. Male atrium deep with many folds and stylet 197 µm long. Female atrium 188 µm long while vagina is 384 µm long tube curved towards posterior end. Well defined cement pouches with numerous cement glands present (Fig. 7 B & 8). Taxonomic remarks. The presence of this species is recorded on many occasions from Andaman Islands (Sreeraj & Raghunathan 2013; Sreeraj et al. 2015); however, no attempt had been made in the past to make a formal description. To date, only 4 species under the genus Pseudoceros are described from India: Pseudoceros gamblei Laidlaw, 1902; P. tigrinus Laidlaw, 1902; P. galatheensis Dixit et al. 2017 and P. nigropunctatus Dixit et al. 2017. The general spotted pattern of newly described species P. vishnui sp. nov. resembles with P. nigropunctatus described from same geographical area but the difference in appearance and colour of the spots on dorsal surface and background colour distinguish them from one another. In addition, P. laingensis Newman & Cannon, 1998 described from Papua New Guinea is the most resembled species to P. vishnui sp. nov. in terms of margins, background colour and spots. Both species have purple spots on dorsum but the spots in P. laingensis are smaller and more in number in comparison to P. vishnui sp. nov. with bigger and few spots. Border of P. laingensis is made up of numerous purple spots (same colour as that of spots on dorsum) of different sizes (Bolanos et al. 2016) while the border of P. vishnui sp. nov. is characterised by numerous spots of blue colour and never of same colour as of spots on dorsum. Bolanos et al (2016) mentioned that the purple dots on the dorsal surface of P. laingensis were numerous in some individuals but scarce in others while the frequency of spots in P. vishnui sp. nov. remained almost similar in all the studied individuals. There are few more species under the genus Pseudoceros with presence of spots on their body namely Pseudoceros nipponicus Kato, 1944; P. lindae Newman & Cannon, 1994 and P. scintillatus Newman & Cannon, 1994. P. nipponicus have black spots on the dorsum and a russet brown sub marginal band with a black rim while P. lindae is characterised by golden yellow spots on dorsum. In P. scintillatus the spots are very big, differently coloured, clearly outlined and touching the margin. Newman & Cannon, 2005 reported this undescribed species as Pseudoceros sp. 38 from Burma and mentioned colour of spots as red and margins to be made up of purple spots. Kuiter & Debelius (2009) also reported this species as Pseudoceros sp. from Andaman Sea based on photographic record. But the overall appearance and pattern of the species agrees to the newly described species and existence of both in same geographical area led us to assume that both can be same species. Table. 1 is provided with detailed comparisons between newly described species and similarly coloured species. TABLE. 1. Comparison of Pseudoceros vishnui sp. nov. characters with similarly coloured and patterned species.Published as part of Dixit, Sudhanshu, Raghunathan, C. & Chandra, Kailash, 2017, Two new Pseudoceros (Polycladida: Pseudocerotidae) and a Prostheceraeus (Polycladida: Euryleptidae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, pp. 495-512 in Zootaxa 4269 (4) on pages 501-503, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4269.4.5, http://zenodo.org/record/58274
IJCM_112A: Impact of competitive spirit on weight, waist circumference and HbA1c among the followers of Dixit Lifestyle participating in 90 Days weightloss and Diabetes Reversal Challenge
No full textBackground:
Author has initiated World free of obesity and diabetes campaign since 2013. This lifestyle suggests taking only two meals in a day and go for any cardio exercise for 45 minutes at a stretch every day. This lifestyle is showing great results in weight loss and diabetes prevention/remission. Through the campaign 90 days weight loss and diabetes reversal challenge was organized from 1t August to 31st October 2023.
Objectives:
1) To find out the effect of competitive spirit on weight and waist circumference among the participants 2) To find out the effect of competitive spirit on HbA1c and doses of diabetes medicines
Methodology:
Through messages on social media people were informed about the 90 days weight loss and diabetes reversal challenge. To join the challenge it was mandatory to submit there latest HbA1c and fasting insulin report, weight (Kg) and waist circumference (cm). Participants were categorized and added to non diabetic, prediabetic and diabetic WhatsApp groups having senior coordinators who monitored their progress. Members had to post screen shot of daily exercise and photo of daily meals. Weekly quizzes and various competitions were organized. Members filled daily google form and progress tracker at the end challenge with all parameters.
Results:
Out of 648 members 544 submitted all data at the end of three months which included 68 non diabetics, 253 prediabetics and 223 diabetics. Average weight loss was 4.12 Kg and waist circumference loss was 2.29 inches. Average HbA1c reduction was 0.428 gm%. 80 diabetics converted to prediabetic status and 10 to non diabetic status. 53 prediabetics became non diabetics. In 44 diabetics medicines were reduced and in 16 they were stopped.
Conclusion:
Competitive spirit while following Dixit Lifestyle has shown great results as regards weight loss, inch loss and HbA1c reduction
Electrochemically impregnated aluminum-stabilized alpha-nickel hydroxide electrodes
No full textNickel-positive electrodes obtained by electrochemical impregnation of aluminum-substituted alpha-nickel hydroxide are found to deliver a reversible discharge capacity of ca. 450 mAh/g. This is much higher than the capacity of beta-nickel hydroxide electrodes [200 mAh/g: this work; 225 mAh/g: Dixit et al., J. Power Sources, 63, 167 (1996)] prepared under identical conditions and pasted electrodes comprising cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide [345 mAh/g: Faure et al., J. Power Sources, 36, 497 (1991)]. These observations suggest that the theoretical target-capacity for high-performance nickel-positive electrodes must be revised from the currently accepted value of 289 mAh/g (le exchange) to 491 mAh/g [1.7e exchange: Corrigan and Knight, J. Electrochem. Soc., 136, 613 (1989)]. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)08-044-4. All rights reserved
Rural Knowledge Centers: Partners in Promoting a New ODL Paradigm
No full textPCF4 // It is called a Rural Knowledge Center (RKC), Village Information Center (VIC) or a Community Learning and Information Center (CLIC). It is a new institution in the Indian rural milieu. It is a one-stop center of the village where community members can be assisted with information ranging from how to manage pod borer infestation in their pigeonpea crop to what are the government schemes currently in operation his/her village. These are increasingly seen as vehicles of capacity building and educational change in rural India. Home to nearly 65% of the country’s population (1.2 billion), rural areas have little opportunity for the poor communities to learn life skills. The incidence of poverty, illiteracy and malnourishment experienced in this part of the country is much higher than its urban counterparts’. The information needs of the poor rural communities in agriculture, animal husbandry, health, governance and the like had so far been considered impossible to address owing to the vastness of the nation and remoteness of the areas to be catered. // Success of many ICT4D projects, a wealth of institutional knowledge and a long standing in open and distance education, have created opportunities for the country to provide right kind of information to the needy at the right the time. Technology mediated non-formal distance education with a focus on development and supported by rural knowledge centers is perceived as a new paradigm in distance learning. It is thought; this would play a major role in imparting life long learning skills to vulnerable rural communities and help them fight poverty. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges for RKCs in distance learning as experienced by different institutions engaged in this filed. // Paper ID 32
Electrochemically Impregnated Aluminum-Stabilized α-Nickel Hydroxide Electrodes
No full textNickel-positive electrodes obtained by electrochemical impregnation of aluminum-substituted α-nickel hydroxide are found to deliver a reversible discharge capacity of ca. 450 mAh/g. This is much higher than the capacity of β-nickel hydroxide electrodes 200 mAh/g: this work; 225 mAh/g: Dixit et al., J. Power Sources, 63, 167 (1996) prepared under identical conditions and pasted electrodes comprising cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide 345 mAh/g: Faure et al., J. Power Sources, 36, 497 (1991). These observations suggest that the theoretical target-capacity for high-performance nickel-positive electrodes must be revised from the currently accepted value of 289 mAh/g (1e exchange) to 491 mAh/g 1.7e exchange: Corrigan and Knight, J. Electrochem. Soc., 136, 613 (1989). © 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)08-044-4. All rights reserved
Risk - adjusted rates of return for project appraisal
No full textIncorporating risk assessment into public project appraisal makes sense when project risk is significantly correlated with uncertainty about national income. It is especially important in countries that specialize in particular agricultural or resource sectors. This report presents the following conclusions: (a) risk corrections can be substantial; (b) the intuition that risk is great for further investment in a crop or sector that constitutes a large part of a country's GNP is not invalid, but the effect may be offset by other forces in operation; (c) risk corrections can be negative because of a negative correlation between project return and GNP; (d) risk premia vary greatly across countries and sectors - so recognizing the risk correction needed for each project on its own merits makes more sense than including a common general risk premium in the rate of return required for all lending; (e) risk corrections are small for many sectors and countries - so efforts can be concentrated on the other categories, where the proposed treatment of risk makes a big difference; (f) risk affects investment projects in many different, subtle ways; and (g) resource requirements for this are not great.Environmental Economics&Policies,Health Economics&Finance,Banks&Banking Reform,Statistical&Mathematical Sciences,Crops&Crop Management Systems
Soil test-based nutrient balancing improved crop productivity and rural livelihoods: case study from rainfed semi-arid tropics in Andhra Pradesh, India
No full textWidespread multinutrient deficiencies in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) are among major factors for large gaps between farmers’ current crop yields and potential yields. In this study, we adopted stratified soil sampling method to assess soil fertility-related constraints in farmers’ fields in eight districts of Andhra Pradesh in the semi-arid tropics of India. Most of the fields across all eight districts were critical in sulphur (61 to 98% deficient fields); and up to six districts each in boron (83 to 98% deficient fields), zinc (50 to 85% deficient fields) and soil organic carbon (55 to 97% deficient fields). Low soil organic carbon specifically indicates nitrogen deficiency. Phosphorus deficiency was critical in three districts (60 to 84%) while potassium in general was adequate. Soil test-based nutrient balancing through application of sulphur, boron and zinc in addition to farmers’ practice of adding only nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium increased crop productivity by 8 to 102%. Benefit-cost ratio (1.60 to 28.5) proved favourable to scale-up balanced nutrition. Better postharvest soil health and residual benefits of sulphur, boron and zinc up to four succeeding seasons indicated sustainability of the practice. Results showed that balanced nutrition is a way forward for sustainably improving farm productivity and livelihoods
Innovative Extension Models in promoting climate change adaptation in agriculture
No full textIncreasing climate variability would aggravate the problem of food and nutritional security of the growing population in India. Concerted efforts are required for mitigation and adaptation to reduce the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to the adverse impacts of climate change and making it more resilient. The Government of India has taken several steps to address climate change and reduce the vulnerability of people to adverse impacts of climate change. Various extension models are being adopted by different public and private organizations in dissemination of climate resilient technologies and to enhance the preparedness of the farmers. A few such innovative models which have been pilot tested are discussed in the paper. A strong extension network and appropriate extension methods, can help enhance the capability of farmers towards adaptation of climate resilient technologies say the authors
Innovative Extension Model(s) in promoting Climate Change Adaptation in Agriculture
No full textIncreasing climate variability would aggravate the problem of food and nutritional security of the growing population in India. Concerted efforts are required for mitigation and adaptation to reduce the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to the adverse impacts of climate change and make it more resilient. The Government of India has taken several steps to address climate change and reduce the vulnerability of farmers to adverse impacts of climate change. Various extension models are being adopted by different public and private organizations in dissemination of climate resilient technologies and to enhance the preparedness of the farmers. A few such innovative models are discussed in the paper. A strong extension network and appropriate extension methods, can help enhance the capability of farmers towards adaptation of climate resilient technologies say the authors
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