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Forecasting of load is essential for operating power systems. India recently witnessed one of the worst power crisis with the highest ever power demand of 207 GW on April 29, 2022. The demand in the month of May and June 2022 was estimated to reach 215 GW. The peak demand this year 2023, according to the electricity ministry, is predicted to be around 230 GW from April to June. The inability to meet certain fundamental issues as power can take a toll on any country's economy. Proper prediction helps in proper decision making and planning. The main objective of this paper is to predict day ahead electrical load demand for Assam. Statistical and Machine Learning Algorithms has been studied. The study has been carried out using real-time data for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. The paper presents a detailed analysis of the different hyper parameters of the deep learning models and their effect is seen on the learning efficiency. A novel stacked forecasting model is proposed using neural networks as base learners and CatBoost as the meta-learner. The performance of the proposed model has been evaluated and compared with individual models in terms of training time and accuracy using different error metrics namely MAE, MSE, RMSE, MAPE and R2 score. A comparison of the proposed prediction model with the prediction models available in literature has been presented. The conclusion states that both the statistical and machine learning algorithms used in this study act as useful tools for daily load forecasting with considerable accuracy; yet machine learning algorithm outperforms the statistical methods. The entire work has been done in Google Colaboratory using Python as the programming language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper explores the adverse impact of socio-political turmoil that has long been in existence in Assam society on the psyche of children with reference to Aruni Kashyap's The House with a Thousand Stories. The ethnic conflicts between the natives and the immigrants from other parts of India have caused several problems: loss of life and property, extra-judicial killings, and their resultant adverse impact on the socio-economic, cultural, and psychological spheres of the social lives of weaker sections in Assam. This research aims to identify and understand the various psychological issues that children are subject to in a society when it is afflicted with socio-political turmoil and its consequent violence unleashed on people due to the armed struggle of the ULFA and the repressive administration of the state. The objectives of this research are (i) to study the characterization of Mamoni and Mridul, (ii) to understand and analyse the impact of socio-political turmoil on the psyche of children with reference to the above-chosen characters, (iii) to explore the connectivity between the narrative and the author's political inclination in the novel, and (iv) to understand how objectively the historical incidents were reflected in the novel. The research is carried out by studying the chosen primary source against the pragmatic concepts of psychologists, journalists, social activists, and significant historical facts that appeared in reliable data sources such as journals, web studies, newspapers, and other publications. In conclusion, this research sheds light on the profound psychological repercussions experienced by children in Assam society amidst socio-political turmoil, as exemplified in Aruni Kashyap's "The House with a Thousand Stories." By delving into the characters of Mamoni and Mridul, analyzing the intricate interplay between narrative and political inclinations, and objectively examining historical incidents reflected in the novel, this study not only enhances our comprehension of the multifaceted impact on the psyche of children but also contributes valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and communities striving to address and mitigate the enduring consequences of such tumultuous environments on the younger generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to understand the socio-political dimension of the political changes in Assam vis-a-vis "regionalism" and its contestations. The Changing contours of regionalism in Assam reflect its distinct character marked by the simultaneous articulation of regional, sub-regional and national identity in a complex socio-ethnic and historical context. The recent political trajectory of Assam bears testimony to the dual challenges facing the forces of regionalism; the presence of sub-regional ethnic identity articulation and the appropriation of regional space and issues by the national parties. Further, the shifting allegiance of ethnic identity-based parties to the national parties is critical to understand the dynamics of regionalism in Assam. Socio-political developments subsequent to the rise of BJP post-2014 provide an interesting landscape to comprehend the complexities inherent in understanding regionalism in contemporary Assam. On a contextual note, the paper also locates the question of regionalism in the ongoing debates of NRC and CAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pandemic like the COVID-19 has caught everyone off-guard. The economy is in tatters, and the loopholes in the system are getting exposed. The education sector is no exception, especially in a developing country like India. With millions of students in India, the lockdown will have many unforeseen impacts. Moreover, the parents would be reluctant to send their wards to study even after the pandemic, and the actual effect of a lag in learning would be visible only in the long run. The necessity of e-learning in academia was felt only when the pandemic hit. The lack of ICT infrastructure and the absence of tech-savvy teachers have made studies an absolute roller-coaster ride for students. Apart from this, the already existing disparity between students from different economic strata would very likely broaden. Homebound is another factor affecting the students' psychology towards study. This paper ventures into the problems faced by the students, especially from economic, infrastructural and psychological factors, ranging from primary to University level. It also attempts to segregate the students based on location and financial condition and understand the specific hindrances they face. Case studies from various locations of Assam provide a cluster of stories that would act as an index in developing the system when time is 'conducive'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delves into the ritualization of menstrual blood within the Indic religious traditions, focusing particularly on the Tantric practices. It further investigates the depiction of Kamakhya, the esteemed Tantric site in Assam, India. The annual menstruation festival at Kamakhya, known as Ambuachi Mela, takes place in June. The "Happy to Bleed" campaign aptly encapsulates the annual menstruation event at Kamakhya, presenting a paradoxical view when compared to the veneration of Lord Ayyappan's shrine in Kerala. This perspective is intertwined with themes of sexual desire and patriarchal views, which manifest to different extents in both contexts. While the patriarchal aspect in Lord Ayyappan's case is evident, in Kamakhya's case, it is perceived as a notion that associates menstrual blood with sacred spaces, supposedly diminishing their sanctity. Such beliefs are labeled as hot, dangerous, and impure. This interpretation of the menstruation paradigm is narrow and flawed, necessitating broader research and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the cultural importance of Jhumur songs within the colonial tea plantation societies of Assam. Originating from the Sadani language, Jhumur is a key narrative instrument reflecting the life and challenges of the tea garden laborers, particularly women. The study analyzes Jhumur songs and historical documents to expose the deceptive recruitment and exploitation tactics employed by the British rulers and tea estate owners. It delves into specific Jhumur songs to depict themes of migration, exploitation, and cultural defiance. The research introduces two theoretical models--the "migration-exploitation strategies nexus" and the "model of colonial hegemony and cultural resistance"--to examine the social and cultural interplay. In conclusion, the paper underscores the persistent resilience and cultural identity of the tea garden communities in colonial Assam, as conveyed through the emotive stories in Jhumur lyrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean and sustainable energy holds preeminent importance from a socio-environmental standpoint and can be achieved through the implementation of a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES). As well as ensuring the stable and reliable operation of power systems amidst the increasing integration of renewable energy sources, precise source forecasting becomes indispensable. Thus, this paper presents a pioneering HRES design incorporating photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine (WT), and biogas generator (Bio) technologies, wherein animal manure is utilized as biomass for the sustainable valorization of animal waste. The preliminary objective of this study is to address the prevailing gaps to attain sustainable energy production that is both cost-optimal and technically efficient. Consequently, this paper investigates source forecasting through time series modeling, and assesses the techno-environmental and economic viability of HRES (both off-grid and on-grid) within the northeastern state of India, specifically focusing on the case study of the Cachar district in Assam state. Moreover, real data analysis is conducted to model and optimize the hybrid system. The findings reveal promising outcomes in terms of cost, emissions, and electrical energy potential, in which the optimal configuration PV/Bio with grid results in a net present cost (NPC) of 0.659 M$, cost of energy (COE) of 0.00684 $/kWh, and CO2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$_2$$\end{document} emission of 2368 kg/yr. For the off-grid, the optimal configuration PV/Bio/Battery obtained with NPC of 2.49 M$, COE of 0.218 $/kWh, and CO2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$_2$$\end{document} emission of 346 kg/yr. The analyzed results of the off-grid case are compared and validated with existing literature on different energy economics with optimum configurations. The obtained optimum system is more cost-effective than the existing systems in the literature. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the system’s robustness. Finally, this study endeavors to project a future power system for one of the prominent regions in Assam, an Indian state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research uniquely focuses on advancing the field of fuzzy sets, specifically proposing a novel approach using Hexagonal Type-2 Fuzzy Variable (HT2FV), to handle higher degrees of uncertainty. Flooding, a recurrent and impactful phenomenon, necessitates a robust approach to effective disaster management. The study delves into the humanitarian supply chain dynamics during movement crises and flood catastrophes, introducing a novel methodology to harness the potential of HT2FV. Central to the paper is the innovative defuzzification concept of Critical Value (CV) reduction, strategically employed to eliminate fuzzy components within HT2FV, transforming it into crisp data. The research extends its novelty by proposing a comprehensive approach to distributing relief materials, employing a Multi-objective, Multi-level, Multi-modal (MOMLMM) approach, with a primary focus on boats for inundated areas. Significantly, the study aims to optimize the allocation of resources, minimize time and cost under uncertain environments, and enhance disaster relief operations. The paper is the first to use new hexagonal fuzzy numbers (HFNs) and focuses on how they can be used to sort vulnerable areas using the fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods of the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) process. A case study of the 2022 Assam flood is looked at and solved using the Weighted Sum (WS), Neutrosophic Compromise (NC), and Goal Programming (GP) systematically on the LINGO solver to see if the suggested method can be used. Further, sensitivity analysis is employed to establish optimal credibility levels to validate the proposed methods. A real-life case study lends practicality, substantiating the approach's efficacy. At the same time, comprehensive comparative analysis compares and contrasts findings from different studies to synthesize existing knowledge and identify future scope, contributing significantly to the field of fuzzy sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance has recently been considered an emerging catastrophe globally. The public health and environmental threats were aggravated by the injudicious use of antibiotics in animal farming, aquaculture, and croup fields, etc. Consequently, failure of antibiotic therapies is common because of the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in the environment. Thus, the reduction in antibiotic spillage in the environment could be an important step for overcoming this situation. Bear in mind, this research was focused on the green synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles (ChiNPs) using Citrus lemon (Assam lemon) extract as a cross-linker and application in controlling MDR bacteria to reduce the antibiotic spillage in that sector. For evaluating antibacterial activity, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were isolated from environmental specimens, and their multidrug-resistant pattern were identified both phenotypically by disk diffusion and genotypically by detecting methicillin- (mecA), penicillin- (blaZ), and streptomycin (aadA1)-resistance encoding genes. The inhibitory zone's diameter was employed as a parameter for determining the antibacterial effect against MDR bacteria revealing 30 ± 0.4 mm, 34 ± 0.2 mm, and 36 ± 0.8 mm zones of inhibition against methicillin- (mecA) and penicillin (blaZ)-resistant S. aureus, and streptomycin (aadA1)-resistant E. coli, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration at 0.31 mg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration at 0.62 mg/mL of yielded ChiNPs were used as the broad-spectrum application against MDR bacteria. Finally, the biocompatibility of ChiNPs was confirmed by showing a negligible decrease in BHK-21 cell viability at doses less than 2 MIC, suggesting their potential for future application in antibiotic-free farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-animal conflict in Assam, India's north-eastern state, is rising continuously. Because it occurs year-round, it damages agricultural productivity and kills people and animals, including elephants. When a herd of wild elephants emerges from a deep forest and enters human-inhabited territory around the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam, an alert must be sounded for the neighbourhood residents and forest workers to prevent conflicts. Another concern is that many wild animals die near the KNP while crossing the national highway NH-37 which traverses the area. During floods, animals flee to the highlands for food and shelter. An automated animal identification and warning system near the KNP may reduce human-animal confrontations. This paper reports the design of a system that attempts to address the above concerns. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based strategies are utilized to recognize wild animals from live video sequences, provide warnings to avoid encounters, and protect humans and animals. Deep learning models and YoloV5 with the SENet attention layer are used to recognize wild animals in real-time. This model is trained using a public and customized dataset of animal species. Cameras attached to the cloud-based AI system take photographs from several KNP locations to confirm the model. The model's 96% accuracy in animal photographs and videos taken day and night and in feed from contemporaneous location has shown its utility. The model also improves reliability by 1–13% over previous methods. • Efficient real-time wild animal detection system designed using YOLOv5 and SENet attention layer. • The model enhances detection accuracy using fine-grain features of the object, enabling the detection of a diverse class of animals captured with varied illumination, distance, and background variations with the provision of auto-alarm generation. • Better detection rate is obtained by weighing noisy channels and focusing on specific feature sets using the SENet attention layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work explores the process of mathematical representation for the complex geometry of a wide alluvial river with high braiding intensities. It primarily focuses on an approach to developing a numerical solution algorithm for representing the complex channel geometry of the braided Brahmaputra River. Traditional elliptic PDEs with boundary-fitted coordinate transformation were deployed, converting the non-uniform physical plane into a transformed uniform orthogonal computational plane. This study was conducted for the river channel reach with upstream and downstream nodes at Pandu and Jogighopa (reach length ~100 km), respectively, within the Assam flood plain in India, with fourteen measured river cross-sections for the year of 1997. The geo-referenced image covering the river stretch in 1997 was delineated using a ArcGIS software 9.0 tool by digitizing the bank lines. Stream bed interpolation was conducted by interpolating bed elevation from a bathymetrical database onto code-generated mesh nodes. Discretization of the domain was performed through the developed computer code, and the bed-level matrix was generated by the IDW method as well as the MATLAB tool using the nearest neighborhood technique. A mathematical representation of a digital terrain model was thus developed. This generated model was employed as a geometrical data input to simulate secondary flow utilizing 2D depth-averaged equations with the flow dispersion stress tensor as an extra source component, coming from curvilinear flow patterns caused by severe river braiding. The developed model may further be useful in mathematically representing the geometrical complexities of braided rivers with a relatively realistic assessment of the various parameters involved if deployed with improved river modeling with morphometric evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An environmental geographical study involves the relief aspects of the geographical unit. Relief analysis of a geographical unit includes relative relief, slope gradient, steepness, and drainage characteristics. The study area selected for the study is a part of the upper Jiadhal drainage basin consisting of 370.63 sq. km of area. It is a young river system (6th order) with lots of sediment carrying capacity and intensive flood frequencies. In this study, the relief morphology of the upper Jiadhal basin is undertaken observing its unique characteristic of large sediment supply causing flood problems in lower basin areas. Open source Landsat: L5135041_041200901113_MTL, TA6RFR_A012986-20,190,901 data from Bhuvan (ISRO) was accessed by ArcGIS tools. It focused that the upper catchment is more influential by environmental problems rather than human except deforestation activities, as there is very less settlement due to no communication route to the interior catchments of the basin. The mainstream of Sido occupies forth (4th) order stream, Sika and Siri are of fifth (5th) order and Jia of sixth (6th) order stream contained to drain the lower basin. The results revel that, the landscape is prone to erosion mainly due to physical and climatic factors and prominently dominated by human intervention due to agro-forestry and could be mitigated with certain specific measures on a location basis including structural engineering measures and watershed management techniques in the degraded areas for the sustainability of the basin. The early studies in this region include the lower basin of the river system, due to inaccessibility. The area is newly demarcated to a different administrative district of Arunachal Pradesh (Lower Siang) and thus in near future more anthropogenic activities would active in the upper catchment, which may influence the environment stability. So the upper catchment management would be a prime concern for the environmentalist in near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flash floods are common in the town of Kokrajhar in north-eastern Indian state of Assam. Many areas in the town of Kokrajhar are submerged in water almost every year due to floods during rainy season. These floods cause heavy damage to roads, agricultural production and halt the progress of major infrastructural development projects. Hence, prevention of floods has become an important concern in the town of Kokrajhar. This study investigated the causes of floods and offered a solution for their elimination. The investigation showed that inadequate and inefficient network of storm drains was the reason for the flash floods. A new drainage network for the town of Kokrajhar has resulted from studying the shortcomings of the existing network of storm drains. The new network is designed in accordance with the recommendations stated in the “Manual on storm water drainage systems” prepared by the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization in 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In alignment with the Measles and Rubella (MR) Strategic Elimination plan, India conducted a mass measles and rubella vaccination campaign across the country between 2017 and 2020 to provide a dose of MR containing vaccine to all children aged 9 months to 15 years. We estimated campaign vaccination coverage in five districts in India and assessed campaign awareness and factors associated with vaccination during the campaign to better understand reasons for not receiving the dose. Methods and findings: Community-based cross-sectional serosurveys were conducted in five districts of India among children aged 9 months to 15 years after the vaccination campaign. Campaign coverage was estimated based on home-based immunization record or caregiver recall. Campaign coverage was stratified by child- and household-level risk factors and descriptive analyses were performed to assess reasons for not receiving the campaign dose. Three thousand three hundred and fifty-seven children aged 9 months to 15 years at the time of the campaign were enrolled. Campaign coverage among children aged 9 months to 5 years documented or by recall ranged from 74.2% in Kanpur Nagar District to 90.4% in Dibrugarh District, Assam. Similar coverage was observed for older children. Caregiver awareness of the campaign varied from 88.3% in Hoshiarpur District, Punjab to 97.6% in Dibrugarh District, Assam, although 8% of children whose caregivers were aware of the campaign were not vaccinated during the campaign. Failure to receive the campaign dose was associated with urban settings, low maternal education, and lack of school attendance although the associations varied by district. Conclusion: Awareness of the MR vaccination campaign was high; however, campaign coverage varied by district and did not reach the elimination target of 95% coverage in any of the districts studied. Areas with lower coverage among younger children must be prioritized by strengthening the routine immunization programme and implementing strategies to identify and reach under-vaccinated children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Operational large-scale flood monitoring using publicly available satellite data is possible with the advent of Sentinel-1 microwave data, which enables near-real-time (at 6-day intervals) flood mapping day and night, even in cloudy monsoon seasons. Automated flood inundation area identification in near-real-time involves advanced geospatial data processing platforms, such as Google Earth Engine and robust methodology (Otsu's algorithm). Objectives: The current study employs Sentinel-1 microwave data for flood extent mapping using machine learning (ML) algorithms in Assam State, India. We generated a flood hazard and soil erosion susceptibility map by combining multi-source data on weather conditions and soil and terrain characteristics. Random Forest (RF), Classification and Regression Tool (CART), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) ML algorithms were applied to generate the flood hazard map. Furthermore, we employed the multicriteria evaluation (MCE) analytical hierarchical process (AHP) for soil erosion susceptibility mapping. Summary: The highest prediction accuracy was observed for the RF model (overall accuracy [OA] > 82%), followed by the SVM (OA > 82%) and CART (OA > 81%). Over 26% of the study area indicated high flood hazard-prone areas, and approximately 60% showed high and severe potential for soil erosion due to flooding. The automated flood mapping platform is an essential resource for emergency responders and decision-makers, as it helps to guide relief activities by identifying suitable regions and appropriate logistic route planning and improving the accuracy and timeliness of emergency response efforts. Periodic flood inundation maps will help in long-term planning and policymaking, flood management, soil and biodiversity conservation, land degradation, planning sustainable agriculture interventions, crop insurance, and climate resilience studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification and mapping of the spatial distribution of species is an important aspect of zoogeographical enquiry. The habitats of many species are facing the threat of depletion in increasingly human-influenced environments. This has already led to the extinction of many species in different localities, making understanding the linkages between anthropogenic threats and species distribution of utmost importance. A GIS-based model was applied to gain an overall picture of the potential distribution of Ploceus philippinus (Baya Weaver) in and around Nagaon District in Assam. The used maxent model in the GIS environment gives a highly significant Area Under Curve (AUC) validation statistic of 0.99. Out of the total area of 3,975 km2, 596.86 km2 (15%) is demarcated as a high-potential area. Such predictions are highly useful in assisting in the conservation of threatened species under current and future climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preservatives are used to increase the shelf life of any product for a very long time, yet they are extremely detrimental to human health when used in food. The use of preservatives like formaldehyde by fishermen and fish merchants for prolonged preservation of fish during sales and transportation has recently become problematic and threat to human health. Therefore, the goal of the current investigation was to determine the presence of formaldehyde in the fish sold at fish markets in Nagaon, Assam. The present investigation indicates the contamination of fish with formaldehyde in the local fish markets of Nagaon district. The fish that show the presence of formaldehyde are imported (challani) and out of the whole fish sample collection (challani/imported), Labeo rohita, Catla catla indicates the highest positive result, with 35.96% and 48.44% respectively from the 114 Labeo rohita to 64 Catla catla samples. Additionally, the results for Ompok pabda, Pangasius pangasius, Hilsa ilisha, and Piaractus brachypomus are all positive, with Hilsa ilisha showing a positive result of 100% from their whole sample collection. However, the local fish like Labeo gonius, Cirrhinus reba, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Cirrhinus mrigala, and Hypophthalmicthys nobilis fish species have shown 100% negative results for formalin detection, indicating that their samples are formalin-free. Since formaldehyde is harmful to human health, better methods and techniques should be adopted for the preservation of fish for commerce and storage. Strict regulations should be put in place to limit the use of these hazardous chemical substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study compared the achievements of higher secondary level students before and during the COVID 19 pandemic in five subjects-English, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. This study was conducted on higher secondary level students from Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Assam, India. Dichotomous variables like rural and urban, tribal and non-tribal are considered for sample collection. A stratified random sampling technique is used for data collection. When five subjects are considered as a unit, the Mahalanobis Distance (MD) is used to measure the difference in dynamical character of achievements. There is a significant difference in the achievement of students between pre-COVID 19 and during COVID 19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of heavy metals in agricultural soils has become a critical concern in the face of increased environmental scrutiny, highlighting the relationship between human and natural impacts on our land. This study focused on examining heavy metal contamination levels including Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Lead (Pb), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Nickel (Ni) and Manganese (Mn) conducting an ecological risk assessment in the Morigaon district's paddy fields, which are characterized by disturbed soils. Undisturbed playground soils of the Morigaon district were taken as control. Based on the averages of all locations and the corresponding contamination factor (Cf) for paddy field, it was found that the soil's Cr (0.56 to 0.84), Fe (0.11 to 0.13), Mn (0.38 to 0.78), and Zn (0.35 to 0.65) contamination is low, with Cf < 1 for all seasons. Observed levels of Cu, Ni, and Pb showed moderate contamination throughout seasons, with contamination factors (Cf) ranging from 1 to 3. Meanwhile, Co exhibited a greater amount of contamination in the disturbed soil, with Cf ranging from 3 to 6, indicating significant contamination. Higher degree of contamination (CD) of the sampling sites (10.71 to 14.72) might have been due to metal contamination, especially Co, Ni and Pb. Undisturbed soil showed a comparatively lesser degree of contamination because of an absence of physical or chemical disturbances. In particular, Ni contents of disturbed and undisturbed sites were excessively higher than the worldwide average. Significant variations from global averages were particularly noted for Co and Pb. Conversely, Cr, Mn, and Zn demonstrated minimal variations when compared to these averages. Additionally, metrics such as Enrichment Factors (EF), Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) and Ecological Risk Index (Er) were elevated in the disturbed soils relative to their undisturbed counterparts. The findings indicated that anthropogenic activities have significantly negatively influenced the Morigaon district paddy field's soil quality and agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Assam lemon is a highly valued Citrus cultivar known for its unique aroma, flavor, and appearance. This study aimed to investigate the morphological, seeding pattern and biochemical variations within 132 populations of Assam lemon from across 22 districts of Assam along with the control samples, with the objective to offer comprehensive understanding that could facilitate the improvement of breeding programs and further improvement of this important cultivar. Clustering based on UPGMA algorithm for morphological and seeding pattern data were analysed at population level, revealed two major clusters, where all the populations of Upper Assam districts were in the same cluster with the original stock (control population). The populations from Tinsukia and Dhemaji districts displayed more close similarities with the control population in comparison to populations of Upper Assam districts. Another interesting observation was regarding flowering patterns, while populations from Upper Assam districts excluding Golaghat district displayed both bisexual and unisexual flowers with less concentration of unisexual flowers, other remaining districts had bisexual and unisexual flowers of almost equal concentration. Unisexual flowers contained only the male reproductive organs with 40 anthers, while bisexual flowers had 36 anthers. Seeding patterns were examined across the districts, and it was found that populations from Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, and the control population exhibited seedless characteristic while populations from other selected districts displayed a combination of seedless and seeded traits. Interestingly, Golaghat district appears as the linking district and showed availability of both seeded and seedless Assam lemon fruit, connecting the regions of Barak valley, Central, Lower, North and Upper Assam. Biochemical analysis showed significant variations across districts, however, the populations from Dhemaji, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat districts displayed similarity with the control population. The study also investigated variability in soil nutrient content revealing substantial variation among the populations studied. This comprehensive investigation provides valuable insights into the morphological, seeding pattern, and biochemical diversity within the Assam lemon cultivar. These findings can be instrumental in breeding programs to enhance the cultivar, particularly in producing high-quality seedless fruits to meet consumer demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three salt springs of ancient Assam (currently in a part of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India) situated in the Mohong area (Phullung and Khela) and Samkhor have been studied to bring out their physico-chemical characteristics by using ionic concentration ratios along with SEM and EDS techniques. The high TDS values of the studied salt springs (wells) under investigation infers mildly brackish water type. The Disang Group of rocks are the dominant lithotypes connected with the spring. The positive correlation between Na+ and Cl- indicates the samples have an origin including halite (NaCl) dissolution, which may imply that the study area's saline and salty springs come from the incongruent dissolution of halite. The larger concentrations of almost all ionic values of Cl-, SO42-, Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ were found in Phullung and Khela, while lower values were found in Semkhor, which suggests that from Semkhor to Phullung and Khela (i.e., towards northeast), the concentration of salinity increases. The occurrences of the development of crystal phases in the SEM and EDS results also substantiate the salinity increasing trend towards the northeast. The studied samples have lower Na+/Cl-, K+/Cl- and SO42-/Cl- indicating a deeper aquifer source and minimal anthropogenic impact. The average value of sodium absorption ration (SAR) of 30.62 indicates that the studied water quality is not permissible for agricultural use. The negative BEX values ranging from -20.58 to -203.74 suggest that the aquifer of the studied well are being salinized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Yeast treatment has been used for purification of fructooligosaccharides (FOSs). However, the main drawback of this approach is that yeast can only partially remove sucrose from crude FOSs. The main objective of this research was to screen yeast strains for the capability of selectively consuming unwanted sugars, namely fructose, glucose, and sucrose, in crude FOSs extracted from red onion (Allium cepa var. viviparum) with minimal effect on FOS content. Results: Among 43 yeast species isolated from Miang, ethnic fermented tea leaves, and Assam tea flowers, Candida orthopsilosis FLA44.2 and Priceomyces melissophilus FLA44.8 exhibited the greatest potential to specifically consume these unwanted sugars. In a shake flask, direct cultivation of C. orthopsilosis FLA44.2 was achieved in the original crude FOSs containing an initial FOSs concentration of 88.3 ± 1.2 g/L and 52.9 ± 1.2 g/L of the total contents of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. This was successful with 93.7% purity and 97.8% recovery after 24 h of cultivation. On the other hand, P. melissophilus FLA48 was limited by initial carbohydrate concentration of crude FOSs in terms of growth and sugar utilization. However, it could directly purify two-fold diluted crude FOSs to 95.2% purity with 92.2% recovery after 72 h of cultivation. Purification of crude FOSs in 1-L fermenter gave similar results to the samples purified in a shake flask. Extracellular β-fructosidase was assumed to play a key role in the effective removal of sucrose. Both Candida orthopsilosis FLA44.2 and P. melissophilus FLA44.8 showed γ-hemolytic activity, while their culture broth had no cytotoxic effect on viability of small intestinal epithelial cells, preliminarily indicating their safety for food processing. The culture broth obtained from yeast treatment was passed through an activated charcoal column for decolorization and deodorization. After being freeze dried, the final purified FOSs appeared as a white granular powder similar to refined sugar and was odorless since the main sulfur-containing volatile compounds, including dimethyl disulfide and dipropyl trisulfide, were almost completely removed. Conclusion: The present purification process is considered simple and straight forward, and provides new and beneficial insight into utilization of alternative yeast species for purification of FOSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to decipher the digital and palmar dermatoglyphic patterns among the Ahom community in Assam's Lakhimpur district. It examines the sexual dimorphism in the dermatoglyphic characteristics of the population's fingers. Additionally, it compares current results with those from other ethnic groups previously studied to evaluate group heterogeneity. The study relies on the finger and palm prints of 100 Ahom individuals (50 males and 50 females) from Lakhimpur, using established dermatographic techniques. The male Ahom display a 'Mongoloid' ethnic affinity according to the Dankmeijer index, while the female samples slightly exceed the Mongoloid threshold. Both genders exhibit a broad variation in the pattern intensity index, characteristic of Mongoloid populations. A more comprehensive study with a larger sample size is crucial for a thorough understanding of all dermatoglyphic features related to ethnic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]