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Bush frogs from Garo and Khasi Hills were collected, and a thorough examination based on morphology and geographic distribution revealed that two of the populations sampled from Garo Hills during this study agree with the holotypes and descriptions of the taxa Ixalus garo and I. kempiae, described more than a century ago. The original description lacked information on several morphological characters, genetic material, and photographs of the species in life. The absence of such information posed challenges in field identification of these species. Our phylogeny shows them to be nested within the Raorchestes clade, and therefore, we allocate these two species to this genus and formally announce their rediscovery. We also redescribe these two species here based on additional adult vouchers and report geographic range extensions from new localities. Based on molecular and morphological analysis, we reassess the status of the recently described Raorchestes cangyuanensis, resulting in its placement under the subjective junior synonymy of R. kempiae. We also describe a morphologically distinct new species from this region. This paper bridges an important gap in the knowledge of the genus Raorchestes in this part of India and highlights the importance of systematic surveys in documenting and understanding amphibian diversity in the region.

Background Arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging is widely used since its main advantage is that no intravenous contrast is needed. Given that perfusion is a crucial biological characteristic for identifying tumor lesions, the qualitative noncontrast perfusion characteristics of these lesions were examined.

Abstract Background We report an unusual testicular mass with small bowel and retroperitoneal lymph node deposit proven to be myeloid sarcoma after complete histopathological and hematological workup. Myeloid sarcoma (MS) usually involves lymph nodes and head and neck regions. Uncommon sites like testis and ovary are rarely involved and pose a diagnostic challenge. Extramedullary myeloid sarcoma is most commonly associated with hematological malignancies like acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. It can precede or co-occur with AML. Considering it as a differential diagnosis in atypical presentation of testicular tumor helps in early treatment. Case presentation We present a case of TMS with small bowel and retroperitoneal deposits presenting initially as intussusception and a vague scrotal pain. The patient underwent unilateral left radical inguinal orchidectomy. Surgical pathology revealed myeloid sarcoma of the testicle. And later jejunojejunostomy was done for small bowel deposit causing obstruction with retroperitoneal lymph node biopsy taken which revealed granulocytic sarcoma deposit. He developed peripheral blood involvement 4 weeks postoperatively, and bone marrow biopsy showed acute myeloid leukemia. Conclusions With very short median survival period of 7.5 months, high index of suspicion is required where multifocal lesions are observed in various sites as in our case.

Abstract Facial expression detection from images and videos has recently gained attention due to the wide variety of applications it has found in the field of computer vision such as advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), video retrieval, and security systems. Facial terms, body language, hand gestures, and eye contact have all been researched as a means of deciphering and understanding human emotions. Automated facial expression recognition (FER) is a significant visual recognition procedure because human emotions are a worldwide signal used in non-verbal communication. The six primary universal manifestations of emotion are characterized as happiness, sadness, anger, contempt, fear, and surprise. While the accuracy of deep learning (DL)-based approaches has improved significantly across many domains, automated FER remains a difficult undertaking, especially when it comes to real-world applications. In this research work, two publicly available datasets such as FER2013 and EMOTIC are considered for validation process. Initially, pre-processing includes histogram equalization, image normalization and face detection using Multi-task Cascaded Convolutional Network (MT-CNN) is used. Then, DL-based EfficinetNetB0 is used to extract the features of pre-processed images for further process. Finally, the Weighted Kernel Extreme Learning Machine (WKELM) is used for classification of emotions, where the kernel parameters are optimized by Red Fox Optimizer (RFO). From the experimental analysis, the proposed model achieved 95.82% of accuracy, 95.81% of F1-score and 95% of recall for the testing data.

Rhacophorus tuberculatus and Rhacophorus verrucopus are two morphologically similar species described in 1871 and 1983 respectively. Their taxonomic distinctiveness has been questioned in the past. In the current study, we encountered frogs that we confer to R. tuberculatus based on morphological similarity to a syntype of this species. We redescribe the species based on a re-examination of a syntype, which is designated as a lectotype here, and additional specimens from Garo hills of Meghalaya. We also present molecular data, natural history notes, and report a range extension of this species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA fragment revealed minimal genetic divergences (0.20–1.74% uncorrected p-distance) between specimens identified as either R. tuberculatus or R. verrucopus from different locations. On the basis of molecular data and morphological characteristics, we conclude that R. verrucopus is a junior synonym of R. tuberculatus.

Abstract Wind turbines have been recognised as an alternative and clean-energy source with a low environmental impact. The selection of sites for wind-farm often creates serious conservation concerns on biodiversity. Wind turbines have become a serious threat to migratory birds as they collide with the turbine blades in some regions across the globe, while the impact on terrestrial mammals is relatively less explored. In this context, we assessed the responses of birds and mammals to the wind turbines in central Karnataka, India from January 2016 to May 2018 using carcass searches to quantify animal collisions (i.e., birds and bats), fixed radius point count for bird population parameters, and an occupancy framework for assessing the factor that determines the spatial occurrence of terrestrial mammals. The mean annual animal fatality rate per wind turbine was 0.26/year. Species richness, abundance, and unique species of birds were relatively higher in control sites over wind turbine sites. Species and functional compositions of birds in control sites were different from wind turbine sites, explaining the varied patterns of bird assemblages of different feeding guilds. Blackbuck, Chinkara, Golden Jackal, and Jungle Cat were less likely to occupy sites with a high number of wind turbines. The study indicates that certain bird and mammal species avoided wind turbine-dominated sites, affecting their distribution pattern. This is of concern to the management of the forested areas with wind turbines. We raised conservation issues and mitigating measures to overcome the negative effects of wind turbines on animals.

The synergism effect of sodium tartrate and Zn2+ binary inhibitor system on the corrosion inhibition efficiency of mild steel in an potable water medium containing was analyzed by means of gravimetric and electrochemical spectroscopic measurements. The effect of weight loss method and immersion time on the corrosion behavior of mild steel has also been studied. The scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images showed that the roughness and the deep cracks of the metal surface are reduced significantly by the inhibitor system. Results indicated that the formulation acted as anodic inhibitor. Adsorption of used inhibitor lead to a decrease in the double layer capacitance and an increase in the charge transfer resistance and confirm protective layer by SEM, EDX, AFM and FT-IR. Simple and novel binary inhibitors approach was developed for generating superhydrophobic surface modification of mild steel. Interestingly, Water droplets falling on the leaves bead up and roll off, mild steel immersed in potable water in the presence of binary inhibitor system (sodium tartrate and Zn2+) was attempted to create superhydrophobic surfaces. However, the water contact angle in presence of binary inhibitor system was found to be 152°±4°, whereas in the case of mild steel, it was 55°±2°. A detailed description of the surface-modified superhydrophobic in potable water on mild steel is presented in this article.

Background: 31-Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31-P MRS) has excellent potential for clinical neurological practice because of its noninvasive in-vivo assessment of cellular energy metabolism and the indirect evaluation of the phospholipid composition of the cell membrane, intracellular pH, and intracellular Mg2+ concentration.

We first validate the performance of the Portable Optical Particle Spectrometer (POPS), a small light-weight and high sensitivity optical particle counter, against a reference scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) for a month-long deployment in an environment dominated by biomass burning aerosols. Subsequently, we examine any biases introduced by operating the POPS on a quadcopter drone, a DJI Matrice 200 V2. We report the root mean square difference (RMSD) and mean absolute difference (MAD) in particle number concentrations (PNCs) when mounted on the UAV and operating on the ground and when hovering at 10 m. When wind speeds are low (less than 2.6 m s−1), we find only modest differences in the RMSDs and MADs of 5 % and 3 % when operating at 10 m altitude. When wind speeds are between 2.6 and 7.7 m s−1 the RMSDs and MADs increase to 26.2 % and 19.1 %, respectively, when operating at 10 m altitude. No statistical difference in PNCs was detected when operating on the UAV in either ascent or descent. We also find size distributions of aerosols in the accumulation mode (defined by diameter, d, where 0.1 ≤ d ≤ 1 µm) are relatively consistent between measurements at the surface and measurements at 10 m altitude, while differences in the coarse mode (here defined by d > 1 µm) are universally larger. Our results suggest that the impact of the UAV rotors on the POPS PNCs are small at low wind speeds, but when operating under a higher wind speed of up to 7.6 m s−1, larger discrepancies occur. In addition, it appears that the POPS measures sub-micron aerosol particles more accurately than super-micron aerosol particles when airborne on the UAV. These measurements lay the foundations for determining the magnitude of potential errors that might be introduced into measured aerosol particle size distributions and concentrations owing to the turbulence created by the rotors on the UAV.

Approximately 3 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2019 because of poverty and inequality. Most of these people live in Asia and Africa. Furthermore, 30% of the world population was affected by moderate to severe food insecurity in 2020, and most of this population lives in low- and middle-income countries. The world is at a critical juncture, and there is an urgent need for transformative food systems that ensure the empowerment of poor and vulnerable population groups, often smallholders with limited access to resources or those living in remote locations, as well as the empowerment of women, children, and youth (FAO, 2018). The backyard poultry production system (BPPS), as practiced by 80% of the world's rural population, can be that transformative change in low- and middle-income countries. Although the BPPS has low productivity, it still plays an important role in the food and nutritional security of rural people living in fragile ecosystems. Backyard poultry has been recognized as a tool for poverty alleviation and women empowerment besides ensuring food and nutritional security for rural poor. Poultry meat and eggs are the cheapest and best source of good quality protein, minerals, and vitamins. The introduction of improved backyard poultry germplasm has improved the productivity of this system in resource-poor settings and thereby improved the income and nutritional security of poor households. With these birds, the availability, access, utilization, and stability of food security have improved at household and national levels. Diseases, predation, non-availability of improved germplasm, lack of access to markets, and lack of skills are the major constraints to the adoption of improved backyard poultry. These constraints can be addressed by involving a network of community animal service providers. The improved backyard poultry germplasm will dominate the backyard poultry production system in the future and will be a tool for ensuring food and nutritional security on a sustainable basis, more particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Disseminated extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is an unusual entity that has nonspecific imaging features at MRI. Nevertheless, knowledge of its imaging features and unusual locations might help radiologists to suspect it in the appropriate clinical scenario. Some noncontiguous EMPs might mimic lymphoma and MRI would be useful as a problem-solving tool in EMP and would help in treatment planning. We report an unusual cardiac mass in cardiac MRI, a detailed work-up of which led to the diagnosis of multifocal EMP involving the heart, ribs, pancreas, retroperitoneum, and soft tissues of the thigh, rarely reported in the literature.

Epithelial cells of human breast glands are exposed to various mechanical ECM stresses that regulate tissue development and homeostasis. Mechanoadaptation of breast gland tissue to ECM-transmitted shear stress remained poorly investigated due to the lack of valid experimental approaches. Therefore, we created a magnetic shear strain device that enabled, for the first time, to analyze the instant shear strain response of human breast gland cells. MCF10A-derived breast acini with basement membranes (BM) of defined maturation state and basoapical polarization were used to resemble breast gland morphogenesis in vitro. The novel biophysical tool was used to apply cyclic shear strain with defined amplitudes (≤15%, 0.2 Hz) over 22 h on living spheroids embedded in an ultrasoft matrix (

We list the herpetological voucher specimens in the holdings of the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History (SACON), a wildlife research institute in India. Most of the collections are the fruition of fieldwork by SACON’s herpetologist and a coauthor of this work—late Dr. Subramanian Bhupathy (1963–2014). Taxonomically, the collection represents 125 species, comprising 29 amphibian species belonging to eight families and 96 reptilian species belonging to 17 families. Geographically, the material in this collection originates from the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats, the Deccan Plateau, and the Coromandel Coast, comprehensively covering all ecoregions of peninsular India. A total of 15 taxa (three amphibians, 12 reptiles) remain to be fully identified and are provisionally referred to most-resembling taxa, with cf. prefix. All the specimens in this collection are non-types as on date.

Secondary air bled from the compressor which bypasses the combustion chamber is used to seal the turbine components from incoming hot gas. Interaction of this secondary air or purge flow with the mainstream can alter the flow characteristics of turbine blade passage. An in depth analysis of secondary loss generation by purge flow in the presence of upstream disturbances has huge relevance. The objective of present study is to understand the aerodynamic and thermal effects caused by the purge coolant flow in the presence of an upstream wake. A linear turbine cascade is selected for the computational study and a stationary cylindrical rod which resembles the trailing edge of nozzle guide vane is kept 20 mm before the leading edge to generate the upstream wake (or disturbance). Purge flow disturbances includes strong formation of Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices at trailing edge and additional roll-up vortices at leading edge. Detailed analysis is carried out by varying the velocity ratios as well as the ejection flow angle. Higher velocity ratio and perpendicular coolant ejection reduces the mainstream axial momentum which enhances the passage cross flow. Even though the mass averaged total pressure loss is linearly dependent on the velocity ratio, a reduction in the ejection angle brings down the loss coefficient at the blade exit. A lower ejection angle will improve the film cooling effectiveness also. The presence of purge flow causes an increase in the overturning and underturning.

This study examined the species composition and nest-tree characteristics of diurnal raptors in the tropical forests of Moyar Valley, Western Ghats between December 2012 and March 2013. We recorded 28 species of raptors including three species of vultures. Accipitridae was the dominant family comprising of 25 species followed by two from Falconidae and the monotypic Pandionidae. Among them, eight species fall under various threatened category: three Critically Endangered, one Endangered, two Vulnerable and two Near Threatened. The Critically Endangered Gyps bengalensis was frequently recorded during the survey (175 sightings) followed by Milvus migrans (39 sightings) and Haliastur indus (27 sightings). We located 53 active nests of four species of raptors, viz., Gyps bengalensis (42 nests), Nisaetus cirrhatus (4 nests), Haliastur indus (4 nests), and Milvus migrans (3 nests). A notable difference in the nest-tree characteristics among the sympatric raptors was observed. These results would be important to identify priority areas for developing future conservation and management programs for the long-term conservation of raptorial birds in the Western Ghats.

This paper offers a study on Pr3+-doped alkali and mixed-alkali borate glasses prepared by the melt quenching technique and characterized by thermal, structural and spectroscopic studies. The amorphous nature of the glassy systems was identified based on X-ray diffraction. The thermal behaviour of glasses was studied using differential thermal analysis (DTA). The functional groups contained in the glasses were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Spectral intensities were evaluated from the absorption spectra and used for calculating J–O intensity parameters, Ωλ (λ = 2, 4 and 6). Further, these parameters were used for calculating different radiative properties. The best radiative state was identified as the laser transition state among the various states. Emission analysis was performed for this state by calculating the branching ratios and stimulated emission cross sections (σp) for all the prepared glasses. These studies suggest that borate glasses are useful for visible fluorescence.

Species composition of birds in the Meghamalai landscape with respect to threat status, foraging guild and biome-restricted assemblage were assessed based on data collected opportunistically during two research projects: first one spanned 36 months (2006-2009) the other for 18 months (June 2011-December 2012) and from literature published during mid 1940s. A total of 254 species belonging to 55 families and 18 orders were recorded, which include 11% (18 of 159 species) of globally threatened birds reported from India, 88% (14 of 16 species) of endemic birds of the Western Ghats and a higher proportion of biome-restricted species (56% of Indo-Malayan tropical dry zone and 80% of Indian Peninsula inhabited by tropical moist forest birds). Among the foraging guilds, insectivorous birds (51%) dominated the bird composition followed by frugivores and carnivores. The present data shows that Meghamalai deserves to be recognized as an Important Bird Area of International Bird Conservation Network. This would enhance the conservation prospects of the landscape in a long run. The present study also highlights the importance of the area for conserving the birds of the Western Ghats.

The Meghamalai, also known as High Wavy Mountains, is located in the Theni Forest Division of Tamil Nadu, Western Ghats. The landscape is endowed with an array of vegetation types varying from dry (thorn forests) in the eastern side to wet (evergreen) forests on the western side due to wide elevation gradient (220-2000 m above sea level) and varied rainfall pattern (wind ward and leeward zones). The composition and configuration of this landscape facilitates diverse species of vertebrates (18 species of fishes, 35 amphibians, 90 reptiles, 254 birds, 63 mammals). In the past, selected floral and faunal groups of Meghamalai have been sporadically surveyed by the British explorers. However, in-depth ecological studies on various biota have only been initiated in recent years by SACON and WILD, which highlighted the conservation importance of the area. It is hoped that the recently declared Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary encompassing a part of the landscape, and the proposal of the Srivilliputtur-Meghamalai Tiger Reserve, if realized, would help conserving the diverse biota of this landscape in the long run.

Reports on the concurrence of mammals in the Meghamalai landscape were collated from published literature and also the data obtained from a recent study spanning over 18 months (June 2011-December 2012). Sixty-three species belonging to 24 families occur in the landscape, which include 24 globally threatened (one Critically Endangered; seven Endangered; 11 Vulnerable and five Near Threatened) species. Of the recorded species, four species are endemic to India and nine are endemic to the Western Ghats. The present study added five species, viz., Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus, Malabar Spiny Tree Mouse Platacanthomys lasiurus, Grizzled Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura, Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphrodites and the Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii to the six decade old mammal list. But, 13 species reported by Hutton were not recorded during the study. Among them, occurrence of Malabar Civet Viverra civettina and Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus in southern India remains unresolved. During our study, anthropogenic pressures such as conversion of natural habitats, encroachment, hunting, cattle grazing and tourism were observed to affect the distribution of mammals in the landscape.

Studying friction coefficient has significant importance, especially when dealing with high load and temperature applications that have frequent starting and stopping points. Towards that, two sets of angular contact Linear Model Mockup Bearings (LMMB) were designed and fabricated. This linear model assembly was made up of high precision, grounded raceways (AISI 4140) and commercially purchased balls (AISI 52100). The experimental studies were carried out by placing different number of balls between the raceways under different loads at dry lubricating condition. The static friction coefficients were measured using two different experiments: viz gravitation-based experiment and direct linear force measurement experiment. And Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique was used to find the stiffness of LMMB set.

This paper evaluates the use of random forest (RF) as a tool for misfire detection using statistical features. The engine block vibration contains hidden information about the events occurring inside the engine. Misfire detection was achieved by processing the vibration signals acquired from the engine using a piezoelectric accelerometer. The hidden information regarding misfire was decoded using feature extraction techniques. The effect of Kononenko based discretiser as feature size reduction tool and Correlation-based Feature Selection (CFS) based feature subset selection is analysed for performance improvement in the RF model. The random forest based model is found to have a consistent high classification accuracy of around 90% when designed as a multi class ,ode and reaches 100% when the conditions are clubbed to simulate a two-class mode . From the results obtained the authors conclude that the combination of statistical features and RF algorithm is well suited for detection of misfire in spark ignition engines.

We report a new site locality and eastern most population of Grizzled Giant Squirrel from Thiruvannamalai Forest Division. Further studies are required to assess the population of this species in the Tamil Nadu part of Eastern Ghats.

A superconducting linear accelerator based on niobium quarter wave resonators has recently become operational to boost the energy of the heavy ion beams available from the existing 15 UD (unit doubled) Pelletron accelerator. The niobium resonators typically performed at an accelerating field of 3–6 MV/m at 6 watts of input power in the test cryostat. When they were tested in the linac cryostat, the accelerating fields were drastically reduced and a number of other problems were also encountered. At present, all the problems have been diagnosed and solved. Many design modifications, e.g., in power coupler, mechanical tuner, helium cooling system, etc. were incorporated to solve the problems. A novel method of vibration damping was also implemented to reduce the effect of microphonics on the resonators. Finally, the accelerated beam through linac was delivered to conduct experiments.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining academia by transforming how education is delivered, assessed, and researched. The rapid adoption of AI tools offers opportunities to enhance personalized learning, automate administrative tasks, and expand research capabilities. However, these innovations come with significant challenges, including ethical concerns, data privacy issues, biases in algorithms, and the potential loss of human interaction. The paper examines the current applications of AI in academia, explores the challenges faced during its integration, and proposes a vision for the future where AI and academia coexist harmoniously. The paper concludes with recommendations for policies and collaborative approaches that can ensure the responsible integration of AI in educational systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging is widely used since its main advantage is that no intravenous contrast is needed. Given that perfusion is a crucial biological characteristic for identifying tumor lesions, the qualitative noncontrast perfusion characteristics of these lesions were examined. Aim We attempted utilizing the three-dimensional (3D) ASL technique to characterize skull base lesions and to highlight its crucial role in differentiating lesions. Methods and Material 3D ASL imaging of 20 patients with posterior skull base lesions was performed in a 3-T magnetic resonance (MR) system (Siemens Healthineers, Skyra, Erlangen, Germany). The common differential diagnoses of skull base lesions could be distinguished based on this qualitative evaluation. Results and Conclusions Glomus tumor has a strikingly increased perfusion when compared to meningiomas. The perfusion characteristics of metastasis depends on the primary tumor. Chondrosarcomas have a heterogeneously increased perfusion. Chordomas have variable perfusion, which helps in prognosticating the tumors. ASL benefits pediatric patients and in renal failure as well since it avoids the ethical ambiguity associated with contrast agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort along with change in frequency and consistency of bowel habits. Abdominal distension, bloating and altered bowel habits are common clinical presentations. IBS affects around 3% to 15% of the population. Aim: To validate Birmingham Questionnaire (BQ) in assessing symptoms in IBS patients in South Indian scenario. Use of Functional Bowel Disease Severity Index (FBDSI) in assessing the severity of IBS patients. To correlate BQ with FBDSI in assessing the outcomes with respect to the severity of IBS. Methods: One hundred patients who fulfilled Rome IV criteria for IBS were enrolled in the study. All patients were subjected to clinical examination. Routine investigations, abdominal ultrasound, sigmoidoscopy, fecal calprotectin were done. Patient were asked to answer the BQ questionnaire pre and post treatment and the FBDSI score pre-treatment. Results: 100 participants were included in the study among which, 71 males and 29 were females. The mean age of males was 28.7 years while that of females was 29.62 years. years. None of the BSQ scores for the above mentioned symptoms were found to be significant with FBDSI scores. p value for all the correlations was above the 0.05 level of significance. None of the BSQ scores for the above mentioned symptoms were found to be significant with FBDSI scores. p value for all the correlations was above the 0.05 level of significance. Conclusion: There was a good correlation between the pre-treatment and post-treatment Birmingham symptom questionnaire scores. This has definitely helped to monitor the clinical response once the treatment was initiated. Our study failed to show a significant difference comparing the pretreatment BQ with the FBDSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Serum amylase and lipase elevations are classically related to pancreatic diseases. Hyperamylasemia is noticed to various common non-pancreatic clinical conditions, however hyperlipasemia is considered the specific marker of pancreatic diseases. Methodology and Results: This paper set forth 3 cases of Diabetic Keto Acidosis that presented with abdominal pain which are initially misapprehended to be Acute Pancreatitis due to markedly raised serum amylase and lipase levels. Conclusion: Markedly raised amylase and lipase levels are also noticed in non-pancreatic diseases. Optimal clinical judgement plays an essential role in diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]