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Investment in the small-scale enhancement of groundwater recharge through check dams and other recharge structures in rural India is on the order of USD 1 billion/year. However, for any catchment, the optimal capacity of check dams is unknown, and the impacts on downstream flows are rarely determined. This paper describes a method that can be applied to plan recharge augmentation in catchments that have at least one monitored check dam. It was applied in the Dharta catchment of the Aravalli Hills in Udaipur district, Rajasthan, India, where four check dams in an ephemeral stream were monitored by farmers over seven years. For the last three years of this study, the hydrology of two of these check dams was affected by 19 new check dams established upstream. A basic hydrologic model, WaterCress, was calibrated on monitored check-dam storages and used to assess the impacts of the new structures on recharge from those downstream. Then, the model was rerun with a range of capacities of upstream check dams to determine the effects of check-dam capacity on (1) the recharge from the downstream check dam, (2) the total recharge from all check dams, and (3) the frequency of spill from the downstream check dam. Using the available economic information, the benefit–cost ratio was calculated for a range of check-dam capacities. This showed a decline in economic efficiency with each new check dam and defined the optimal capacity. Monsoon size was found to be consequential to results, and longer hydrological records yield more reliable results. The study showed that monitoring check dams, rainfall, and groundwater levels is key to deciding whether additional check dams are economically beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper reports the rediscovery of Helicobarbula porphyreoneura (Müll. Hal.) M.J. Cano in and around Jaigarh fort of Jaipur, Rajasthan (India). The article not only reports in detail the delimitation of Pseudocrossidium and the segregated genus Helicobarbula, where P. porphyreoneurum is currently placed but also provides a detailed description of the species along with illustrations that have not been published yet. Besides this, the current status of the distribution of Helicobarbula and Pseudocrossidium in India is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large quantity of trace metals has been continuously polluting the environment as a result of increasing urbanization and industrial processes. In 2016-2017, the metal (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn) levels were determined in fecal pellets of Blue Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) at Bais Godam (industrial location) in Jaipur and Chittora (rural location) in Rajasthan, India. Fecal pellets in industrial regions which are under higher anthropogenic influence exhibited higher metal concentrations when compared with the fecal pellets of the same species in rural area which have minimal anthropogenic input, with statistically significant industrial-rural differences in the metal concentrations except for Ni. Results obtained in this study, as well as the comparison with literature data, indicated that concentrations of Cr and Cu were high in fecal pellets of Blue Rock Pigeon in the industrial region of the present study. Furthermore, many significant correlations were also observed between metal levels in the industrial region which could be attributed to a similar source. Moreover, contamination levels of pigeon excrement serve as one of the most compelling indicators in terrestrial systems for the monitoring of metal pollution levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ovarian neoplasms have increased in incidence in leading sites of cancer in five old population based cancer registries on comparing first ten and last ten years data. All three germ layers are afflicted in process of ovarian neoplasmceolomic epithelium, germ cell and sex chord/stromal cells. Due to this, ovarian masses are spread widely over all age groups. However, a correct pathological diagnosis goes a long way in management of the disease and consequent benefit to patient. Aim: To assess the histopathological pattern, age, laterality and distribution of ovarian tumours in a tertiary care centre of tribal part of Rajasthan. Materials and Methods: Retrospective hospital based study wherein 157 ovarian specimens received in Department of Pathology of Geetanjali Medical College and Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan over a period of three years were studied after obtaining permission of ethical committee. Details such as age, signs and symptoms, laterality were retrieved from patient file. Only benign, borderline or malignant ovarian neoplasm specimens removed surgically were included. Physiological cysts were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used and results were expressed as percentages. Results: Out of 157 ovarian neoplasms, 42 (26.75%) were from hysterectomy specimen, 44 (28.02%) from planned cystectomy for mass, 71 (45.22%) from cytoreductive surgery or tissue obtained from Exploratory Laparotomy. A 63.06%, 33.76% and 3.18% of neoplasms were benign, malignant and borderline, respectively. Extremes of age lied between 14 to 84 years. Mean age for benign, malignant and borderline tumours respectively was 38.60 years (SD 15.21), 47.79 years (SD 14.53) and 38.4 years (SD 14.04) respectively. Unilateral tumours were clearly in abundance with 85.35%. Right-sided tumours were more (49.04%). Surface Epithelial Tumours (SET's), Germ Cell Tumour (GCT's) and Sex Chord Stromal Tumours (SCSCT's) were 59.24 %, 34.39% and 6.37%, respectively. Out of 10 cases, 60% were malignant (Granulosa cell tumour). No metastatic tumour was seen during the study period. Conclusion: To effectively reverse the trend in a developing country like India each and every gynaecologist should be aware and well versed with histo-morphological pattern of ovarian neoplasms specific to a region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field study evaluated the performance of direct well recharge structures (DWRS) in order to harvest and filter farm runoff and its discharge into open dug wells to augment groundwater recharge. This was undertaken between 2016 and 2018 using a total of 11 wells in the Dharta watershed, situated in a semi-arid hardrock region of Udaipur district, Rajasthan, India. The depth to water level in each DWRS well was monitored weekly for 1 to 3 years before and after the DWRS was established, and water samples were taken for water quality analysis (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, fluoride, and Escherichia coli) before and during the monsoon period. For each DWRS well, two control wells in close proximity were also monitored and sampled. Five of the DWRS established in 2018 also had flow meters installed in order to measure discharge from the filter to the well. The volume of water recharged through DWRS into individual wells during the 2018 monsoon ranged from 2 to 176 m3 per well. Although the mean rise in water levels over the monsoon was higher in DWRS wells than in nearby control wells, the difference was not significant. Values of pH, EC, TDS, and F decreased in DWRS and control wells as each monsoon progressed, whereas the turbidity of wells with DWRS increased slightly. There was no significant difference between DWRS and control wells for pH, EC/TDS, turbidity, or fluoride. The presence of E. coli in DWRS wells was higher than in control wells, however, E. coli exceeded drinking water guidelines in all sampled wells. On the basis of this study, it is recommended that rural runoff should not be admitted to wells that are used for, or close to, wells used for drinking water supplies, even though salinity and fluoride concentrations may be reduced. For this study, none of the 11 DWRS wells produced sufficient additional recharge to potentially increase dry season irrigation supplies to justify expenditure on DWRS. This even applies to the DWRS well adjacent to a small ephemeral stream that had a significantly larger catchment area than those drawing on farmers' fields alone. An important and unexpected finding of this study was that no sampled open dug well met drinking water standards. This has led to a shift in local priorities to implement well-head water quality protection measures for wells used for drinking water supplies. It is recommended that parapet walls be built around the perimeter of such dug wells, as well as having covers be installed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]