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The challenges of climate change, energy security, ever-increasing price of fossil fuels in the international market, and the detrimental effects of its uses on the environment have prompted the scientific community toward environment-friendly, sustainable, and comparable alternative sources of energy. More than a hundred million tons of rice straws are produced annually as a byproduct in India, around 60% of which are burned in situ. Rice straw is a potential feedstock for second-generation biofuel production. Biofuel generated from this biowaste can benefit the world in numerous ways. It can reduce the import bill of coal and petroleum fuels, enhance farmers' income, prevent straw burning incidences, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby making the environment clean. The characterization of biomass is a prerequisite to assessing its fitness for specific conversion technology for biofuel generation. In the present study, rice straws of two prominent varieties of paddy, namely Swarna and Silky-277 grown in Asian countries, were characterized, and their biomethane yield was compared to assess the feasibility as a biofuel feedstock and to find the role of each component of rice straw vis-à-vis biomethane yield. Apart from proximate and ultimate analysis, non-structural components (extractives) and structural components like cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin were also estimated by using standard protocols. The proximate and ultimate analysis differed marginally, structural components, cellulose, and hemicelluloses were found higher in Swarna, whereas lignin and non-structural components are found higher in the Silky-277 variety of rice straw. Out of several components present in rice straw, the role of non-structural components is found to be most important for biomethane yield. The presence of 46% higher non-structural components (extractives) in the Silky-277 variety resulted in a 21% higher biomethane yield than from the Swarna variety of rice straw. These findings will provide techno-economical liberty in selecting suitable rice straws to be used for anaerobic digestion at the commercial level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper evaluates the Resource Scarcity Hypothesis in the case of tin, a strategic metal in the Indian economy, using data from 1958 till 2013. Estimation was carried out using the Structural Time Series Model. Results of model estimations identify a stochastic long term growth with significant cyclical movements. Compared to the large amplitude of the cycles, the growth rate of the long-term trend is small and punctuated by structural breaks. Our approach provides a flexible and reasonably accurate fitting procedure for quantifying the effects of separate structural components. On the whole, the model works well as a description of resource prices but does not support the resource scarcity hypothesis. Results of the present study can help in the formulation of an informed policy response to the problems associated with the growing demand fort in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article concerns the description of the system of professional training of border guards at the higher educational establishments in the Republic of India and distinguishing its structural components. To achieve the purpose of the research we used two groups of methods: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative methods include analysis of statistical data, structural method, method of additional analysis of data, study of specific object, and juxtaposition. Qualitative methods concern analysis of normative documents, literature review, observation, method of scientific description of information, and comparative method. According to theoretical findings system approach enables to consider professional training as an integrated system with regard to its subsystems. Also, it is regarded as a specific strategy or set of techniques used to solve the particular problem – training of future expert. In our case, the pedagogical objective is to train highly-qualified border guard. The author described the system of professional training of border guards at the higher military educational establishments in the Republic of India in details. We have found that the system of professional training of border guards at the higher military educational establishments in the Republic of India consists of nine structural components. They are the following: legislative, management, institutional, methodological, targeted, organizational, content, technological, and result. Each component has its own peculiarities and coverage. The combination of all the structural components enables the system of professional training be effective and achieve the objectives. The uniqueness of the study of the system of professional training of border guards at the higher military educational establishments in the Republic of India concerns the fact that its structural components were not described before in one work. And the explanation of interrelation of structural components is very important for professional training itself and contributes to enhancing the efficiency of the educational process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Agricultural production in India has become increasingly reliant on groundwater and this has resulted in depletion of groundwater resources. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) for groundwater recharge is seen as one of the solutions to solve the groundwater problem. This is reflected in an increase in watershed development programs, in which RWH is an important structural component. Understanding the net effect of these development programs is crucial to ensure that net effect on groundwater is positive both locally and within a watershed. Hence, this review focuses on the hydrological impacts of RWH for recharge at the local (individual structure) and watershed scale in rural areas. Surprisingly little field evidence of the stated positive impacts at the local scale is available, and there are several potential negative impacts at the watershed scale. The watershed scale is underrepresented in the field studies and is mainly approached through modelling. Modelling is seen as a possible tool to extend limited field data and scenario studies can be used to examine potential impacts. However, many past modelling studies examining RWH have either had limited focus or have been based on insufficient data. Development of new modelling tools is needed in combination with increased field data collection. Increased use of remote sensing and advanced statistical techniques are suggested as possible new opportunities. In addition, some evaluation criteria are proposed to assess the local and watershed scale hydrological, and other, impacts of RWH as part of watershed development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sponges alter the proportion of structural and morphological components such as spicule skeleton and number of oscula in response to environment, development and growth. Such mechanisms indicate morphological and physiological variations within populations. We measured the pumping rate of different sized specimens of contractile sponge Cinachyrella cf. cavernosa present in the intertidal rock pools, during morning and afternoon low tides along the central west coast of India. Additionally, we measured the exhalant opening (oscular cross‐sectional area—OSA), tissue density, spicule skeleton weight and the abundance of choanocyte chambers to assess the morphological variations. Water temperature and sponge size showed a significant positive effect on pumping rate. OSA and the number of oscula increased with sponge size, but the sponge volume‐specific pumping rate did not increase (0.029 ± 0.020 ml/s ml‐1). Histological sections showed the abundance of chaonocyte chambers increased marginally with the sponge size, but the contraction state affected the count. Both tissue density and spicule skeleton weight were positively correlated with sponge size, particularly the increase in the size and number of spicule bundles radiating from the centre indicated a denser core in larger specimens. The subcortical lacunae and the peripheral choanosome with high abundance of canals appear to be the major volume reduction zones during contraction events. Our results indicate that the size and number of spicule bundles increase with sponge volume and the variation in temperature, contraction state, and size and number of oscula influence the pumping rate of C. cf. cavernosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]