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Under global warming and climate change (CC), the vulnerable piece of land is India's Eastern-Himalayan-Region (EHR), where millions' livelihood activities are at risk. Quantifying the degree of CC-induced vulnerability over the highly climate-sensitive mountain zone is challenging due to data inadequacy. This paper attempted to assess the CC perception of kiwifruit growers under EHR and the impact of CC on its cultivation. Perceived and scientific data were used for accurate decision-support information. The climatic variables of two locations were analyzed for trend using Mann–Kendall's test. Results suggested that the rainfall trend was found non-significant for both locations, but there was a negative trend during winter for Pasighat and during all seasons for Itanagar. Maximum temperature exhibited an increasing trend for annual, and minimum temperature showed an increasing trend across seasons for the Pasighat region. For the Itanagar region, the maximum temperature was found to have a significantly increasing trend in all seasons, while the minimum temperature showed an increasing trend during winter and annual seasons. Morning relative humidity showed an increasing trend for annual data for Pasighat, while annual evening relative humidity was significantly increased for Itanagar. The study shows that the indigenous farming communities were following shifting cultivation and diversifying their traditional agriculture to kiwifruit cultivation as an adaptation strategy. The community had a clear perception of CC trends and an inadequate perception of the impact on agriculture, therefore, engaging indigenous communities and other stakeholders to postulate a comprehensive adaptation and mitigation strategy for CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a UV study of 3 extended UV (XUV) galaxies that we have observed with the UVIT and the GMRT. XUV galaxies show filamentary or diffuse star formation well beyond their optical disks, in regions where the disk surface density lies below the threshold for star formation. GALEX observations found that surprisingly 30% of all the nearby spiral galaxies have XUV disks. The XUV galaxies can be broadly classified as Type 1 and Type 2 XUV disks. The Type 1 XUV disks have star formation that is linked to that in their main disk, and the UV emission appears as extended, filamentary spiral arms. The UV luminosity is associated with compact star forming regions along the extended spiral arms. The star formation is probably driven by slow gas accretion from nearby galaxies or the intergalactic medium (IGM). But the Type 2 XUV disks have star formation associated with an outer low luminosity stellar disk that is often truncated near the optical radius of the galaxy. The nature of the stellar disks in Type 2 XUV disks are similar to that of the diffuse stellar disks of low surface brightness galaxies. The star formation in Type 2 XUV disks is thought to be due to rapid gas accretion or gas infall from nearby high velocity clouds (HVCs), interacting galaxies or the IGM. In this paper, we investigate the star formation properties of the XUV regions of two Type 2 galaxies and one mixed XUV type galaxy and compare them with the neutral hydrogen (HI) emisison in their disks. We present preliminary results of our UVIT (FUV and NUV) observations of NGC 2541, NGC 5832 and ESO406-042, as well as GMRT observations of their HI emission. We describe the UV emission morphology, estimate the star formation rates and compare it with the HI distribution in these Type 2 and mixed XUV galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present observations and first results from the FIGGS2 survey. FIGGS2 is an extension of the earlier Faint Irregular Galaxies GMRT survey (FIGGS) towards faint luminosity end. The sample consists of 20 galaxies, 15 of which were detected in HI 21 cm line using the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT). The median blue band magnitude of our sample is approximately −11. 6, which is more than one magnitude fainter than earlier FIGGS survey. From our GMRT observations we found that, for many of our sample galaxies, the HI disks are offset from their optical disks. The HI diameters of the FIGGS2 galaxies show a tight correlation with their HI mass. The slope of the correlation is 2.08 ± 0.20 similar to what is found for FIGGS galaxies. We also found that for almost all galaxies, the HI disks are larger than the optical disks which is a common trend for dwarf or spiral galaxies. The mean value of the ratio of HI to optical diameter is about 1.54. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field tests were conducted to study the effect of compressive loading on the uplift capacity of single piles embedded in silty sand. The test program consists of four instrumented cast in situ axial pile load tests in compression, pure tension and tension with 25 and 50% of compressive load of ultimate capacity in compression. The experimental results indicate that the net ultimate uplift capacity of single pile decreases with increase in compressive load. The shaft friction is non linear in nature. It observed that as the compressive load increases the shaft friction along the length of pile decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mating systems are generally thought to be important factors in determining the amount and nature of genetic variability in a population. Nearly 1,000 individuals at a single location (Lucknow) and over two years were crossed and subsequently scored for selfing versus outcrossing in 9-10 monohybrid populations of opium poppy ( Papaver somniferum). Three different alleles of two marker loci (two-R/r and P/p-for anthocyanin locus and B/b for capsule size locus) were used to determine the male gametes that had effected fertilizations in F recessives (rr, pp and bb). The estimates of the gene frequency-based outcrossing parameter (α) were found to vary with year, cross and marker locus used (α range: 7.21-71.03%). Study of the two dihybrid crosses concerning the two marker loci simultaneously, further confirmed that outcrossing at the R/r or P/p locus was significantly greater than that at the B/b locus. The nature of the outcrossing was, in general, nonrandom. In this species, in general, selfing predominated, with one exception in respect of monohybrid crosses involving the purple form of anthocyanin locus, in which outcrossing predominated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crossing blocks of Mentha arvensis cv Kalka (menthol mint without carvone) and Mentha spicata cv Neera (carvone mint without menthol) in alternate rows (2:1::Kalka:Neera), and pollination of florets of Kalka with that from Neera, yielded a carvone-rich variant among the open-pollinated seedlings. The variant possesses the hybrid phenotype, including the vigorous M. arvensis growth habit and the synthesis of rich oil aroma supplemented with a menthol tinge (carvone 64%–76% against 58% for the normal carvone mint cv Neera), and thus a novel combination of the essential oil. Chromosome counts and random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis confirmed that this spearmint variant, designated as the variety Neerkalka, is a unique interspecific hybrid (2n=5x=60) of M. arvensis cv Kalka (2n=8x=96) and M. spicata cv Neera (2n=2x=24). Vegetative multiplication of the hybrid was facilitated by its underground sucker-reproducing ability which is otherwise absent in spearmints. The per cent improvement in the variant ranged from 31–97 for herbage yield and 95–317 for oil yield over the standard spearmint varieties (MSS-5, Arka and Neera), with per hectare oil yields of 125.0 kg, 139.0 kg and 65.0 kg, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 400 individuals at two locations and over a number of years were crossed and subsequently scored for selfing versus outcrossing in eight monohybrid populations of opium poppy ( Papaver somniferum). Two different marker loci, petal colour ( R/r) and capsule size ( B/b) were used to determine the male gametes that had effected fertilizations in F recessives ( rr and bb). The estimates of the outcrossing parameter α were found to vary with year, location and for the marker locus used (α range: 0.0988-0.3704). Study of two dihybrid crosses involving the two loci simultaneously, further confirmed that outcrossing at the R/r locus was significantly greater than that at the B/b locus. The nature of the outcrossing was, in general, nonrandom. Selfmg predominated in this species; however, there was a high frequency of natural outcrossing for generating variations in P. somniferum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new H i data of the dwarf galaxy KK 69, obtained with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) with a signal-to-noise ratio almost double previous observations. We carried out a Gaussian spectral decomposition and stacking methods to identify the cold neutral medium (CNM) and the warm neutral medium (WNM) of the H i gas. We found that 30% of the total H i gas, which corresponds to a mass of ∼107 M⊙, is in the CNM phase. The distribution of the H i in KK 69 is not symmetric. Our GMRT H i intensity map of KK 69 overlaid onto a Hubble Space Telescope image reveals an offset of ∼4 kpc between the H i high-density region and the stellar body, indicating it may be a dwarf transitional galaxy. The offset, along with the potential truncation of the H i body, are evidence of interaction with the central group spiral galaxy NGC 2683, indicating the H i gas is being stripped from KK 69. Additionally, we detected extended H i emission of a dwarf galaxy member of the group as well as a possible new galaxy located near the north-eastern part of the NGC 2683 H i disk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty-one patients of external auditory canal (EAC) cancer attended the Department of Radiotherapy (RT), Medical College Hospital, Kolkata during the period from 1987 to 1996. Majority were above 50 years of age with slight female preponderance. Out of 41 patients 36 patients completed the full course of treatment of which 12 patients underwent combined modality treatment (RT 50-55 Gy plus surgery) and 24 patients received primary RT alone (55-60 Gy). Radiation therapy was given in standard fractionation schedule. Retrospective analysis revealed complete response in 8/12 (66.7%) in combined modality treatment group and in 3/24 (12.5%) in RT alone group. The actuarial 2 year survival was 19%. following RT alone, 85% following combined modality, 70% in early lesions and 18% in advanced lesions. The study suggests, surgical resection followed by postoperative irradiation is an effective method and better treatment option than RT alone as primary treatment modality for carcinoma of EAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Uplift Capacity of Single Bent Pile and Pile Group Considering Arching Effects in Sand," that was published in a 2010 issue is presented.