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Tidal inlet, a fragile coastal feature along the world coastline, provides a range of ecosystem services and societal values. In recent decades, these systems are subjected to natural and anthropogenic pressure resulting in inlet choking and relocation, changing geomorphology, and dysfunction of physio-biological processes and loss of productivity of coastal water bodies. In this study, an assessment of the Chilika tidal inlet has been carried out using observation and modeling approach. The hydrodynamics of tide and its propagation along the inlet channel is studied using a two-dimensional depth-averaged hydrodynamic numerical model (MIKE 21). The model simulation was performed forcing tide and river discharge at land and ocean boundary and the model is validated with tide measured along the inlet channel. Tidal propagation under various inlet configuration was studied conducting two different simulations, which are, (a) natural inlet configuration (simulation-1) and (b) excluding islands from inlet channel (simulation-2). Besides, stability analysis of inlet is carried out using an empirical model (CEA model) with different inlet characteristics. Hydrodynamic model results show that tidal inlet is dominated with flood tidal asymmetry and tide gets distorted more during its propagation into the shallower region. The magnitude of tidal asymmetry varies from 0 to 0.13 with maximum distortion under exclusion of islands from inlet channel compared to natural inlet configuration. As a measure of inlet stability, unstable, stable, and critical cross-sectional areas (CSA) of inlet, which determine the functionality of inlet system, were evaluated from August 2011 to September 2013. The model estimated unstable CSA is found in close agreement with the observed inlet CSA and far away from the stable CSA indicating instability behavior of the inlet system. Projections of inlet stability under different conditions, viz. inlet length, inlet width, and bottom roughness, show varying channel length increases of stable and unstable CSA in accordance with increase in inlet length, while inlet stability varies inversely with increase in inlet width and friction, respectively. This study is helpful for planning, management, and development of the Chilika inlet for appropriate lagoon-sea interaction while dredging sand materials from inlet channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the impact of future climate change on wheat productivity is inconsistent, we studied geographic distribution and yield of wheat using two global General Circulation Models (GCMs) and Free Air CO2/O3 Enrichment (FACE) experiments. The GCMs (IPSL-CM5A-LR and NIMR-HADGEM2-AO) with four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) and 19 bioclimatic variables were used for distribution/ecological niche modeling (ENM). Currently cultivated eight wheat cultivars were exposed to individual treatment of (i) ambient CO2, temperature, and ozone (ACO + AO + AT) representing the present climate scenario, and (ii) elevated CO2 (550 ppm) (ECO), (iii) elevated temperature (+ 2 °C) (ET), (iv) elevated O3 (ambient + 20 ppb) (EO), (v) elevated CO2 + elevated O3 (ECO + EO), and (vi) elevated CO2 + elevated temperature + elevated O3 (ECO + EO + ET) under FACE facility simulating the future climate change scenarios in 2050. The niche models predicted a reduction in climatically suitable areas for wheat, and identified "maximum temperature" as the most influencing factor for area reduction. The elevated CO2, O3, and temperature individually and in combinations had differential impacts on the yield of wheat cultivars. Only two cultivars, viz., DBW 184 and DBW 187 did not exhibit yield decline suggesting their suitability in the future climate change scenario. Since the performance of six out of eight cultivars significantly declined under simulated FACE experiment, and ENM predicted reduction in wheat cultivation area under RCP 8.5 in 2050, it was concluded that future of wheat cultivation in India is bleak. The study further indicates that coupling of bioclimatic modeling and FACE experiment can effectively predict the impact of climate change on different crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus is an important horticultural crop of India and is often prone to diseases, particularly under increased temperature scenarios. For developing disease-resistant Citrus varieties, conservation of wild relatives is extremely important. However, our knowledge on temperature tolerance of these wild relatives of Citrus to varied climate change scenarios is extremely limited. Therefore, we determined the climatic niche of six wild relatives of cultivated Citrus species (C. indica Tanaka, C. karna Rafin., C. latipes (Swingle) Tanaka, C. macroptera Montrouz., C. medica L., and C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck.) and identified the geographical areas in India that would remain climatically stable in future through ecological niche modeling (ENM). Raster data on 19 bioclimatic variables with a resolution of 0.04° were used to generate niche models for each Citrus species that delineated their potential distribution areas. Future species distribution predictions for the year 2050 were made using the climate change scenarios from the most appropriate climate models, i.e., IPSL-CM5A-LR and NIMR-HADGEM2-AO with four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). Ensemble of current and future projections was used to identify climatically stable areas for each species. Precipitation-related bioclimatic variables were the key climatic determinants for the modeled distribution pattern. The consensus of current and future projections suggests that most areas with stable climates for the species in the future would be available in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura. Efforts for in situ conservation and establishment of germplasm banks and citrus orchards may be encouraged in these identified areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to examine the interrelationships among socioeconomic factors, household consumption patterns, calorie intake and greenhouse gas emissions factors in rural eastern India based on household survey data. Findings indicated that higher monthly per capita incomes (12.1–80.1$) were associated with greater average calorie intakes (2021–2525 kcal d−1). As estimated by the FEEDME model, in total 17.2% of the population was calorie malnourished with a regional disparity of 29.4–18.2% malnourishment. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were calculated only on the basis of crop and livestock production and consumption. Rice accounted for the highest share of total GHG emissions, on average 82.6% on a production basis, which varied from 58.1% to 94.9% in regional basis. Rice contributed the greatest share (~ 65% and 66.2%) in terms of both calories and GHG emissions (CO2 eq y−1), respectively, on a consumption basis. We conclude that extensive rice farming and increasing animal product consumption are dominant factors in the higher carbon footprint in this region and are likely to further increase with increase in per capita income. This study provides useful information to help for better crop planning and for fine-tuning food access policy, to reduce carbon footprint and calorie malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification and characterization of endogenous and stress adapted bacterial species, from rat-hole coal mines in Meghalaya, amplify the ambit of bioremediation for eco-restoration. 52 native bacterial isolates, drawn from soil and water samples of these mines, were analysed for bioremediation potential, based on growth and metal tolerance parameters. 12 of these isolates were metal tolerant with Bacillus spp. being the most promising taxon. Three isolates, namely, Serratia marcescens KH-CC, Bacillus altitudinis KH-16F and Bacillus siamensis KH-12A, exhibited high Maximum Tolerable Concentration (MTC) against Fe (500 ppm), Mn (830 ppm) and Pb (1400 ppm). B. siamensis showed highest Fe remediation with 48.34% removal capacity, while maximum removal for Mn and Pb was exhibited by Serratia marcescens at 72.5 and 83%, respectively. The growth profile of the isolates indicated their ability to survive under pH, temperature and salt stress conditions. In vitro growth kinetics studies of the isolates revealed their ability to decrease the acidity of growth media and improve alkalinity from an initial of pH 4.8–5.2 to an alkaline level of pH 8.5–9. These native bacteria, extracted from the stressed coal mine habitat, are potential germane applicants for rehabilitation and eco-restoration of ecologically degraded mine sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litter plays a crucial role in forest ecosystem functioning as its production and decomposition govern the pools and fluxes of forest nutrient cycling. The release of nutrients through litterfall and decomposition influences forest productivity. Therefore, these two factors are considered to be important indicators of forest ecosystem health. Such processes vary across different ecosystem types because of natural as well as anthropogenic factors. Hence, studying such processes would help in better understanding and management of forest ecosystems. Litter production and decomposition rates between a broadleaved and a coniferous forest ecosystem of Meghalaya in Northeast India were compared. We selected six subtropical broadleaved forest stands in Muthlong, Ialong, Nongbah, Mukhla, Nongkrem and Mawnai, and six adjacent coniferous forest stands dominated by pine. We estimated leaf litter production, decomposition and nutrient release, and analyzed the nitrogen and phosphorus contents in the litter of both the forest types. The study revealed that litter production and decomposition rates, and the litter nitrogen and phosphorous contents were significantly higher in the broadleaved forest compared to the pine forest. The variability in the litter characteristics was greater in the broadleaved forest compared to the coniferous forest indicating that the former is functionally more dynamic than the latter. Such dynamism in the broadleaved forest could be an important factor for providing greater ecological services compared to the coniferous forest, which nevertheless requires an in-depth study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacity of an ecosystem to sustain a specific function depends on its structural dynamics and interplay of several extrinsic factors with its functional components. The study of mechanisms involved in the dynamics of an ecosystem, and a critical evaluation of these mechanisms are fundamental to address various challenges that the ecosystems are facing today e.g. changing environment and socio-economic forces. In this thematic issue, we present 15 articles, which deal with such diverse functional attributes of an ecosystem as nutrient cycling, hydrology, biomass and carbon. The structural dynamics include forest and land use changes, and changes in fuel wood extraction and diversity patterns. The articles are arranged in three sections viz., Ecosystem Function, Ecosystem Dynamics, and Biomass and Carbon. At least 65% of these articles have used satellite remote sensing technique. We realize that the utilization of satellite remote sensing data has been emerging as a dominant trend in tropical ecological studies in Indian sub-continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting cultivation (Jhum) has been a threat to the rich biodiversity of Northeastern India (NEI). Here, we applied an integrated spectral enhancement technique to map the shifting cultivation fallow/ current jhum area in NEI for 2014, 2016 and 2018 using Landsat-8 data. The natural vegetation in shifting cultivation fallow land was analyzed through field sampling. Manipur state occupied the highest shifting cultivation fallow area of 1528.5 km2 (2014), and it was minimum in Tripura state with 178.3 km2 (2018). The shifting cultivation fallow hotspot map was derived to identify the repetitive patches, in which the state of Arunachal Pradesh topped with 24.9% and Tripura with lowest 3.6%. Field sampling revealed dominance of four invasive species viz., Mikania micrantha, Ageratum houstonianum, Chromolaena odorata and Ageratina adenophora. We provided an insight into shifting cultivation fallow dynamics and vegetation composition in less than 3 year old shifting cultivation fallow lands. The study using remote sensing approach revealed that the fragile ecosystems of NEI are still facing the threat from shifting cultivation, though the trend has started declining. The generated database can be regularly updated in future using recent Sentinel-2 data with higher spatial and temporal resolution that would enhance the quality of land use management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on relationship between tree diversity and carbon stock has not been consistent. The present study was undertaken to quantify and compare the plant diversity and carbon stock in a subtropical broadleaved and a subtropical pine forest of Meghalaya, northeast India. Biomass-based carbon estimation was undertaken in two subtropical broadleaved forest stands viz., Mawnai (MBF) and Nongkrem (NBF) and adjacent Pinus kesiya dominated forest stands (MPF and NPF), occurring in similar topography, climatic conditions and soil type. The aboveground and belowground tree biomass was estimated using existing allometric models. Carbon was estimated as 47.4% of the total biomass. Tree species richness was greater in the subtropical broadleaved forest stands at MBF and NBF (117 and 21 species) than in the adjacent pine forests, MPF and NPF (15 and 16 species). The density values were 1294 and 1127 individuals ha−1 in the broadleaved forest stands, and 894 and 1032 individuals ha−1 in the adjacent pine forest stands, respectively. The broadleaved forest stands, MBF and NBF had tree biomass carbon stock of 140.4 Mg C ha−1 and 133.6 Mg C ha−1, respectively, which were significantly greater (F = 26.6; P < 0.05) than the pine forest stands, MPF and NPF (74.7 Mg C ha1 and 63 Mg C ha−1). The contribution of trees belonging to the higher DBH classes (> 66 cm) to the total biomass carbon was greatest in MBF, while the lower diameter trees belonging to 5–15 cm and 16–25 cm were the major contributors to the total biomass carbon in the pine dominated stands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of environmental impact of coal mining on natural ecosystems and monitoring of subsequent ecological restoration process of mined areas are essential for devising reclamation strategies for mining-affected landscapes. The present study was designed to assess the post-disturbance recovery of vegetation, primary productivity and soil nutrient build-up of a humid subtropical grassland ecosystem following coal mining activities. Two replicate sites each for the undisturbed grasslands (UG), mining-affected (MG) and recovering grasslands of 15 (RG15) and 50 (RG50) years old were selected. There was a distinct pattern of species colonization and replacement during different years of recovery. Species richness, biomass, net primary productivity and soil pH declined following disturbance but increased with recovery age. Soil organic C and total N were high in the MG sites but significantly declined with recovery age. Soil total P and exchangeable K and Mg were low even at the 50th year of recovery indicating extremely slow recovery rate of these nutrients. Considering the extremely slow natural recovery of vegetation and soil nutrients, it is recommended to carry out artificial or aided vegetation restoration using native grass species tolerant to disturbance. Six species which are well-adapted to the mining environment and were present in both undisturbed and mining-affected recovering grasslands, viz. Arundinella khaseana, Cyanotis vaga, Eragrostis nigra, Polygonum bistorta and Fimbristylis hookeriana, are recommended for aided vegetation regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five trace metals, viz. copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), mercury (Hg) and zinc (Zn), in three organs (muscle, gills and liver) of four selected fish species ( Mugil cephalus, Eleutheronema tetradactylum, Etroplus suratensis and Daysciaena albida) from Chilika lagoon were studied monthly to assess the concentration level and human health risk via consumption. The average and range of metal concentrations (μg g) in flesh of the fish species were found to be: Cu (4.15, 3.47-5.03), Cr (0.25, 0.04-0.63), Fe (19.72, 14.51-27.30), Hg (0.07, 0.05-0.08) and Zn (8.09, 4.41-11.36). The metal concentrations measured in the edible muscles of all fish species were found lower as compared to the contents in liver and gill. Analysis of variance revealed a significant difference in trace metal accumulation among the organs ( p < 0.001), but the difference among the seasons and fish species was insignificant ( p > 0.05), with the exception of Zn accumulation ( p < 0.05). The estimated daily intake (EDI) of the trace metals through the consumption of fish as a dietary component varied widely from 0.48 to 21.33% with respect to the corresponding permissible tolerable daily intake (PTDI). The target hazard quotients (THQs) calculated considering these EDIs for individual metals indicated that the Cr and Cu metals dominantly contributed (avg. THQ = 0.198) to represent the hazard index (HI) than other metals (avg. THQ = 0.029). The average HI determined for all the species was <1 (0.484, ranged 0.255-0.605), indicating that these fish species of Chilika are safe for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is concerned with the study of frictionless contact between a rigid punch and an elastic layer having piezoelectric properties. The rigid punch is assumed to be axially symmetric and is supposed to be pressing the elastic layer through an applied load on it. The layer is resting on a rigid base and is assumed to be sufficiently thick in comparison with the amount of indentation by the rigid punch. The relationship between the applied load and the contact area is obtained by solving the mathematically formulated problem through the use of Hankel transform of different orders. Variations of stresses and electric displacements on the surface of the layer and the piezoelectric effects on the load contact area relationship as well as normal stress have been numerically evaluated and shown graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we describe the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the root and leaf extracts from Vetiveria zizanioides and Cannabis sativa, respectively and its comparison between the two different chemical synthesis methods. UV-visible spectroscopy, particle formation kinetics and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed to ascertain the formation of AuNPs. The synthesized AuNPs were characterized by a peak at 538 nm in the UV-visible spectrum. SEM images revealed that all particles were spherical with a narrow size range of 10-35 nm. Antifungal activity of AuNPs was tested for different fungal pathogens using standard disk diffusion method. AuNPs prepared using green synthesis method was found to be more effective antifungal agent and showed decrease in size as compared to other chemical preparation methods. The results suggest that the synthesized AuNPs can be useful as effective antifungal agent. It is confirmed that AuNPs are capable of rendering high antifungal efficacy and has a great potential for anti-fungal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new approach for islanding detection of distributed generation systems (DGs), using the features obtained from a new time-frequency transform with the negative sequence voltage, negative sequence current and the 3-phase voltage and current signals as inputs. The well-known S-transform suffers from high computational complexity, for on-line applications and hence, a new time-frequency transform (frequency filtering S-transform or simply the FFST) similar to it but faster by almost 30 times is proposed here using the frequency sampling and band pass filtering only for neighborhood of significant frequency components, determined from FFT of the power disturbance signals at the DG terminals. Thus using only the important frequency components present in the signal, it results in a significant reduction of computational complexity of the discrete S-transform. A data mining approach using a certainty factor-based fuzzy decision tree is used to yield fuzzy rules with the extracted features from the FFST output to recognize disturbance events like islanding or non-islanding for a variety of operating conditions of both the DGs and the electric power system. The results achieved during testing using existing hybrid distribution systems show that the proposed method is very reliable, and fast even in the presence of large disturbances like faults and capacitor bank switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of diseases and mortalities in aquaculture and development of antibiotics resistance in aquatic microbes, has renewed a great interest towards alternative methods of prevention and control of diseases. Nanoparticles have enormous potential in controlling human and animal pathogens and have scope of application in aquaculture. The present investigation was carried out to find out suitable nanoparticles having antimicrobial effect against aquatic microbes. Different commercial as well as laboratory synthesized metal and metal oxide nanoparticles were screened for their antimicrobial activities against a wide range of bacterial and fungal agents including certain freshwater cyanobacteria. Among different nanoparticles, synthesized copper oxide (CuO), zinc oxide (ZnO), silver (Ag) and silver doped titanium dioxide (Ag-TiO) showed broad spectrum antibacterial activity. On the contrary, nanoparticles like Zn and ZnO showed antifungal activity against fungi like Penicillium and Mucor species. Since CuO, ZnO and Ag nanoparticles showed higher antimicrobial activity, they may be explored for aquaculture use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plane contact of a cylindrical punch and a half-space is considered in this article. Both the punch and the half-space are assumed to be functionally graded and thermally heat conducting. Frictional heat generation inside the contact region due to sliding of the punch over the half-space surface is taken into account. It is assumed that heat exchange between the free boundary of the half-space and the surrounding medium obeys Newton's law, while the conditions for ideal thermal contact exists in the region in which the solids interact. Elastic parameters, thermal expansion coefficients and coefficients of thermal conductivities of the punch and the half-space are assumed to vary along the normal to the plane of contact. With the help of Fourier integral transforms, the problem is reduced to a system of three singular integral equations. The effects of non-homogeneity parameters of the graded materials on various subjects of interest are discussed and shown graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunophilins are chaperones that may also exhibit peptidylprolyl isomerase (PPIase) activity. This review summarizes our knowledge of the two largest families of immunophilins, namely cyclophilin and FK506-binding protein, and a novel chimeric dual-family immunophilin, named FK506- and cyclosporin-binding protein (FCBP). The larger members of each family are modular in nature, consisting of multiple PPIase and/or protein-protein interaction domains. Despite the apparent difference in their sequence and three-dimensional structure, the three families encode similar enzymatic and biological functions. Recent studies have revealed that many immunophilins possess a chaperone function independent of PPIase activity. Knockout animal studies have confirmed multiple essential roles of immunophilins in physiology and development. An immunophilin is indeed a natural ‘protein-philin’ (Greek ‘philin’ = friend) that interacts with proteins to guide their proper folding and assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na1/2La1/2TiO3 (NLT) ceramic was prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. A preliminary structural analysis (XRD) suggested the formation of a single-phase orthorhombic structure. SEM micrograph of the material showed uniform grain distribution on the surface of the sample. The dielectric permittivity and the loss tangent of the sample were measured in a frequency range from 1 kHz to 1 MHz and a temperature range 28 °C to 525 °C. Electrical properties of the material were studied using an ac impedance spectroscopic technique. Detailed analysis of the impedance spectrum suggested that the electrical properties of the material are strongly temperature dependant. The Nyquist plots clearly showed the presence of both bulk and grain boundary effect in the compound. The activation energy was estimated to be 1.1 eV from the temperature variation of dc conductivity. The a.c. conductivity spectrum suggests a typical signature of ion conducting system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a study conducted on the extraction of protein from the leaves of 30 freshwater aquatic plants, the highest standing crop fresh yield was found in Typha latifolia (2650 g/m2). The Bio-Medical Data Processing (BMDP) K-means clustering program with K = 2 showed that 11 of the 30 plants had a high protein nitrogen extractability as well as a high nitrogen content of the extracted protein. Among these, leaf protein from Allmania nodiflora had the highest content of crude protein (62.7%) and beta-carotene (782.4 micrograms/g). Leaf protein prepared from Hygrophila spinosa, Ottelia alismoides and Polygonum barbatum had low in-vitro digestibility. The levels of alkaloids and polyphenols were lower in the extracted protein compared to that present in the original leaf sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seasonal variation in the nutrient composition of Enhydra fluctuans and Marsilea quadrifolia, two edible semi-aquatic plants, was studied in order to promote their consumption as green leafy vegetables. Both plants had a high crude protein content throughout all harvesting seasons. Enhydra fluctuans had a low ash content and was a good source of beta-carotene (3.7 to 4.2 mg/100 g on a fresh weight basis). Marsilea quadrifolia exhibited wide fluctuations between seasons and was not very promising in nutrient composition when compared to other commonly used green leafy vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological conversion of low-Btu coal synthesis gas to higher Btu methane was demonstrated using both pure co-cultures and/or adapted-mixed anaerobic bacteria. Peptostreptococcus productus metabolized coal gas to mainly acetate and CO. The co-cultures containing methanogens converted these products to methane. In mixed culture studies, CH and small amounts of acetate were produced. Reactor studies using stirred-tank and immobilized cell reactors exhibited excellent potential to convert CO, CO and H to methane at higher gas flow rates. Gas retention times ranging from 0.7 to 2 hours and high agitation were required for 90 percent CO conversion in these systems. This paper also illustrates the potential of biological methanation and demonstrates the need for good mass transfer in converting gas phase substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bacterial culture has been isolated from animal waste that is capable of converting CO in synthesis gas to ethanol and acetate. The culture requires a yeast extract level of approximately.01 g/L, and the conversion is enhanced by agitation. The culture produces a higher yield of ethanol and ratio of ethanol to acetate when BESA and excess yeast extract are removed from the media. An ethanol concentration of 4.3 g/L has been obtained in batch screening experiments. The culture has been purified by successive dilution and tentatively identified as a member of the Clostridium species. Further experimentation is required for positive identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study has been conducted in the heavily populated coastal areas of the Puri district (Odisha, India) with the aim to: (1) identify the factors that influence the major ion composition and concentrations of trace elements in groundwater; (2) determine the spatial distribution of the water-quality parameters and how they vary on a seasonal basis. To do this, groundwater samples were collected from 60 shallow tube wells located along the Puri coast during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Based on their TDS content, 52% of the collected groundwater samples were identified as being brackish-to-saline and unsuitable for drinking purposes in both the pre- and post-monsoon seasons. Significant concentrations of trace elements including Ba, Br, F, Fe, Mn, and Sr were detected in most of the samples. Iron concentrations were found to be higher than the WHO drinking water guideline value (0.3 mg/l) in 92% of the samples irrespective of seasons. Elevated Mn concentrations were observed in 37% and 40% of samples during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. In addition, fluoride concentrations in excess of the WHO limit (1.5 mg/l) were found in 15% of samples during the pre-monsoon and 23% of samples during the post-monsoon season. The concentrations of major and trace elements show wide spatial and minor temporal variations. Large spatial and limited temporal variations in Cl and Na concentrations along with considerable Br and Sr concentrations in groundwater suggest that saltwater intrusion is the dominant process controlling groundwater quality in the study area, although other processes including ion exchange, the precipitation and dissolution of minerals, microbial activity, and the weathering of aquifer material also play roles to some extent in determining the spatial and seasonal distribution of the major and trace elements in coastal groundwater. Grouping of various water-quality parameters related to these processes by principal component analysis and their linking to one cluster in the hierarchical cluster analysis further supports the view that these processes control the groundwater chemistry in the coastal aquifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the availability of satellite data from free data domain, remote sensing has increasingly become a fast-hand tool for monitoring of land and water resources development activities with minimal cost and time. Here, we verified construction of check dams and implementation of plantation activities in two districts of Tripura state using Landsat and Sentinel-2 images for the years 2008 and 2016-2017, respectively. We applied spectral reflectance curves and index-based proxies to quantify these activities for two time periods. A subset of the total check dams and plantation sites was chosen on the basis of site condition, nature of check dams, and planted species for identification on satellite images, and another subset was randomly chosen to validate identification procedure. The normalized difference water index (NDWI) derived from Landsat and Senitnel-2 were used to quantify water area evolved, qualify the water quality, and influence of associated tree shadows. Three types of check dams were observed, i.e., full, partial, and fully soil exposed on the basis of the presence of grass or scrub on the check dams. Based on the nature of check dam and site characteristics, we classified the water bodies under 11-categories using six interpretation keys (size, shape, water depth, quality, shadow of associated trees, catchment area). The check dams constructed on existing narrow gullies totally covered by branches or associated plants were not identified without field verification. Further, use of EVI enabled us to approve the plantation activities and adjudge the corresponding increase in vegetation vigor. The plantation activities were established based on the presence and absence of existing vegetation. Clearing on the plantation sites for plantation shows differential increase in EVI values during the initial years. The 403 plantation sites were categorized into 12 major groups on the basis of presence of dominant species and site conditions. The dominant species were Areca catechu, Musa paradisiaca, Ananas comosus, Bambusa sp., and mix plantation of A. catechu and M. paradisiaca. However, the highest maximum increase in average EVI was observed for the pine apple plantation sites (0.11), followed by Bambussa sp. (0.10). These sites were fully covered with plantation without any exposed soil. The present study successfully demonstrates a satellite-based survey supplemented with ground information evaluating the changes in vegetation profile due to plantation activities, locations of check dams, extent of water bodies, downstream irrigation, and catchment area of water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Introduction: The active form of vitamin D, 1,25D3, plays an important function in the metabolism of calcium. The recommended daily INTAKE of Calcium varies from 1300 mg/day during adolescence to 1200 mg/day after the age of 50 years. Similarly, for vitamin D, the recommended daily intake varies from 400 IU/day during adolescence to 1000 IU/day after the age of 70 years. There is an intricate inter-play of homeostasis of calcium led by vitamin D and PTH at various sites like intestine, kidney, and bones. The increased fracture risk due to bone loss and osteoporosis creates a burden on the patient, healthcare provider as well as the health system. As the population grows old worldwide gradually, the long-term sequelae like pain, loss of independence, and institutionalized care will become more pervasive. Behavioral change to incorporate a healthy lifestyle, including optimal calcium and vitamin D intake and physical exercise in adolescence, form the important foundation in the program for osteoporosis prevention., Conclusion: Increased emphasis on lifestyle modification and nutrition should be given during times of increased bone loss in old age and after menopause., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestsThe authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose., (© Indian Orthopaedics Association 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

It is estimated that 50% women and 20% of men over the age of 50 years will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their remaining life. Although, Osteoporosis is generally thought to be a disease affecting females, more than a third of hip fractures occur in males due to reduced bone strength. Along with Osteoporosis, the other pathological process which occurs simultaneously is Sarcopenia. It is defined as age-related atrophy of skeletal muscle mass that reduces muscle strength, function, and quality of life. This chapter discusses the various aspects of the disease process in the males including its classification, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment., Competing Interests: Competing InterestsThe authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose., (© Indian Orthopaedics Association 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Purpose: Intra-operative traction (IOT) has emerged as new modality for improving correction rates in scoliosis since it has the potential to reduce operative time and blood loss in neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS). The aim of this study is to describe the effects of IOT in deformity correction in NMS., Methods: The search was conducted in online electronic databases following the PRISMA guidelines. This review included studies on NMS which have described usage of IOT in deformity correction., Results: Eight studies were included in analysis and review. There was low-to-moderate heterogeneity across the studies (I 2 - 42.4 to 93.9%). All the studies used cranio-femoral traction for IOT. The final Cobb's angle in coronal plane was significantly lower in the traction group as compared to the non-traction group (SMD - 0.36 95% CI - 0.71 to 0). There was a trend towards better outcomes in final obliquity (SMD - 0.78 95% CI - 1.64 to 0.09), operative time (SMD - 1.09 95% CI - 2.25 to 0.08) and blood loss (SMD - 0.86 95% CI significantly lower in the traction group as 2.15 to 0.44) but did not reach statistical significance., Conclusion: IOT helped to achieve significant scoliotic curve correction in NMS compared to non-traction group. Despite the overall tendency of improved pelvic obliquity correction, reduced operative time and reduced blood loss as compared to a surgery without the use of IOT, it did not achieve statistical significance. Further studies which are prospective with a larger sample size and focussing on a particular etiology may be conducted which would validate the results., Level of Evidence: IV., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Scoliosis Research Society.)

Background: Cerebral Palsy is the leading cause of childhood physical disability globally. The motor disorders of CP are often associated with musculoskeletal anomalies, of which hip displacement is the second most common abnormality after abnormalities of foot and ankle. Various radiological parameters have been described in the literature which detects and quantifies hip dysplasia, with MP being the current gold standard. This study aims to review these radiological indicators of hip dysplasia in children with cerebral palsy from the published literature., Methods: A literature search using PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar was done on 15th June 2021 focusing on surveillance of hip dysplasia in cerebral palsy. The studies to be included were to have used anyone or more radiological parameter for detection of hip dysplasia with the use of any of the radiological methods., Results: The initial search yielded 1184 results. After the screening of the abstracts and full texts, a final of 30 studies was included for this systematic review. The majority of the studies were graded as Level 3 evidence (16/30), followed by Level 2 studies (14/30). X-ray was the most common modality of detection of dysplasia followed by CT scan, ultrasonography, and arthrogram. The reproducibility of the various parameters shows good to excellent intraclass coefficients., Conclusions: Parameters other than MP can be used to screen hips in CP. This would be useful in patients in whom either the lateral acetabular edge is not discernible on a plain anteroposterior radiograph or there are issues in the positioning of the patient. Additional views and structures can be visualized which can lead to improved screening and planning. Further investigations are required to appreciate the full potential of these parameters and how they can be better utilized., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestAll the authors declare that they do not have any competing interest, concerning this research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© Indian Orthopaedics Association 2022.)

Introduction: Benign lesions in bone are less studied in terms of progression and prognosis. There is presently no literature studying symptom interval (SI) in neoplastic bone lesions or determinants of delay in Indian setting. The literature is also sparse on SI in benign lesions of bone, since benign bone lesions have seemingly less menacing symptoms and slow progression as compared to their malignant counterparts. Social and cultural issues peculiar to the region of study have an impact on the symptom interval of benign bony lesions., Method: A prospective, observational study was conducted at a tertiary level University teaching hospital from December 2017 to August 2019. The study included 55 patients presenting with benign cystic lesions of bone. Appropriate radiological investigations along with tissue biopsy were done. All the patients were enquired as per a preformed questionnaire to determine the delay and its determinants., Result: Out of the 55 patients included in the study, wide variety of cystic lesions was observed with varied presentation and delay. Median SI of 175 days (range 27-3705 days) was observed in the present study. However, it was found that longer SI did not have a statistically significant effect on the type of procedure done ( p  = 0.206) though diagnostic delay was significantly related to the intervention required ( p  = 0.004). It was observed that tumor behavior at the time of presentation such as histopathological diagnosis ( p  = 0.000), presence of cortical breach ( p  = 0.001), stage of tumor (0.001), and articular involvement ( p  = 0.000) remained as some of the most important factors in determining the prognosis and outcome in case of benign cystic lesions of bone., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interestThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© Indian Orthopaedics Association 2020.)