NEW ADDITIONS TO ANT GENUS CAREBARA WESTWOOD (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE: MYRMICINAE) FROM INDIA

Twenty species of ant genus Carebara Westwood are recognized from India including two species described as new and one representing new record to India. The 20 Indian species are: C . aborensis (Wheeler, 1913), C. asina (Forel, 1902), C. bengalensis (Forel, 1902), C. carinata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. dentata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. hornata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. lamellifrons (Forel, 1902), C. leei (Forel, 1902), C. lignata (Westwood, 1840), C. mukkaliensis sp. n., C. nayana (Sheela et Narendran, 1997), C. obtusidenta (Xu, 2003), C. propomegata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. raja (Forel, 1902), C. rectangulata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. rothneyi Forel, 1902), C. similis (Mayr, 1862), C. spinata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. terayamai sp. n., C. wroughtonii (Forel, 1902). Key to the major workers of the Indian species is provided

Taxonomic Studies on the Ant Genus Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) with Report of Two New Species and Five New Records Including a Tramp Species from India

The Indian species of the ant genus Strumigenys Smith, 1860 are keyed. 24 species are recognized two of which are described as new and five represent new records to India. The 24 Indian species are: S. aduncomala de Andrade, 2007; S. assamensis de Andrade, 1994; S. emmae (Emery, 1890); S. exilirhina Bolton, 2000; S. fixata Bolton, 2000; S. godeffroyi Mayr, 1866; S. habropilosa Bolton, 2000; S. hemisobek (Bolton, 2000); S. hostilis Bolton, 2000; S. hypoturba Bolton, 2000; S. lyroessa (Roger, 1859); S. membranifera Emery, 1869; S. mitis (Brown, 2000); S. mukkaliensis sp. n.; S. mutica (Brown, 1949); S. nannosobek (Bolton, 2000); S. nanzanensis Lin & Wu, 1996; S. nepalensis de Andrade, 1994; S. peraucta Bolton, 2000; S. podarge (Bolton, 2000); S. rogeri Emery, 1890; S. smythiesii Forel, 1902; S. thanikkudyensis sp. n. and  S. virgila Bolton, 2000. 5 species S. hemisobek; S. mitis; S. mutica; S. nannosobek and S. rogeri represent first records from India. Among these S. rogeri is a tramp species which extends its limit to India as well. A revised key to the Indian ants of this genus is also provided herewith

A Monte Carlo Simulation Analysis of Panel Stationarity Tests under a Single Framework

A unified framework, stringency criterion have been used to compare the six panel unit root tests having the null hypothesis of stationary and to find the best performer test/tests. Simulated critical values, instead of asymptotic critical values, have been used to keep the size of all tests around nominal size of 5%. Our findings suggest HD and HL tests as better performing tests as compared to other panel stationarity tests

Selection of suitable propagation method for consistent plantlets production in Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni)

AbstractStevia rebaudiana (Bert.) is an emerging sugar alternative and anti-diabetic plant in Pakistan. That is why people did not know the exact time of propagation. The main objective of the present study was to establish feasible propagation methods for healthy biomass production. In the present study, seed germination, stem cuttings and micropropagation were investigated for higher productivity. Fresh seeds showed better germination (25.51–40%) but lost viability after a few days of storage. In order to improve the germination percentage, seeds were irradiated with 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10Gy gamma doses. But gamma irradiation did not show any significant change in seed germination. A great variation in survival of stem cutting was observed in each month of 2012. October and November were found the most suitable months for stem cutting survival (60%). In order to enhance survival, stem cuttings were also dipped in different plant growth regulators (PGRs) solution. Only indole butyric acid (IBA; 1000ppm) treated cutting showed a higher survival (33%) than control (11.1%). Furthermore, simple and feasible indirect regeneration system was established from leaf explants. Best callus induction (84.6%) was observed on MS-medium augmented with 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D; 2.0mgl−1). For the first time, we obtained the highest number of shoots (106) on a medium containing BA (1.5mgl−1) and gibberellic acid (GA3; 0.5mgl−1). Plantlets were successfully acclimatized in plastic pots. The current results preferred micropropagation (85%) over seed germination (25.51–40%) and stem cutting (60%)

An Intelligent Approach to Automatic Query Formation from Plain Text using Artificial Intelligence

Man have always been, inherently, curious creatures. They ask questions in order to satiate their insatiable curiosity. For example, kids ask questions to learn more from their teachers, teachers ask questions to assist themselves to evaluate student performance, and we all ask questions in our daily lives. Numerous learning exchanges, ranging from one-on-one tutoring sessions to thorough exams, as well as real-life debates, rely heavily on questions. One notable fact is that, due to their inconsistency in particular contexts, humans are often inept at asking appropriate questions. It has been discovered that most people have difficulty identifying their own knowledge gaps. This becomes our primary motivator for automating question generation in the hopes that the benefits of an automated Question Generation (QG) system will help humans achieve their useful inquiry needs. QG and Information Extraction (IE) have become two major issues for language processing communities, and QG has recently become an important component of learning environments, systems, and information seeking systems, among other applications. The Text-to-Question generation job has piqued the interest of the Natural Language Processing (NLP), Natural Language Generation (NLG), Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS), and Information Retrieval (IR) groups as a possible option for the shared task. A text is submitted to a QG system in the Text-to-Question generation task. Its purpose would be to create a series of questions for which the text has answers (such as a word, a set of words, a single sentence, a text, a set of texts, a stretch of conversational dialogue, an inadequate query, and so on)

The Bhutan pine aphid Pseudessigella brachychaeta Hille Ris Lambers (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae) from India reveals the hitherto unknown oviparous female and dwarfish male

Here we describe the presence of the monotypic and poorly known aphid genus Pseudessigella Hille Ris Lambers (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae) in India. So far, the genus has only been known from Punjab, Pakistan. Representatives of P. brachychaeta Hille Ris Lambers were collected from Pinus wallichiana A.B. Jacks. in the Yousmarg region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. Hitherto unknown oviparous females and dwarfish males, the latter reported in Eulachnini for the first time, are described and illustrated. The male’s antennal sensilla and genitalic morphology are additionally studied and presented using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Notes on the biology, distribution, and previously overlooked generic features are given. We provide morphological identification keys to the genera of the tribe Eulachnini and to the species of aphid living on P. wallichiana

Analysis of Deep-Fake Technology Impacting Digital World Credibility: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Deep-Fake Technique is a new scientific method that uses Artificial-Intelligince to make fake videos with an affect of facial expressions and coordinated movement of lips. This technology is frequently employed in a variety of contexts with various goals. Deep-Fake technology is being used to generate an extremely realistic fake video that can be widely distributed to promote false information or fake news about any celebrity or leader that was not created by them. Because of the widespread use of social media, these fraudulent videos can garner billions of views in under an hour and have a significant impact on our culture. Deep-Fakes are a threat to our celebrities, democracy, religious views, and commerce, according to the findings, but they can be managed through rules and regulations, strong company policy, and general internet user awareness and education. We need to devise a process for examining such video and distinguishing between actual and fraudulent footage

Size of the Bimodality by using Trapezoidal Rule

This study investigates size of the bimodality to illustrate the gap between two modes/peaks in a bimodal distribution. To get this goal, one of the definite integral (i.e. Trapezoidal rule) is used on the mixture of normals (the mixture of one normal and the second one standard normal) with the selected parameter values of mean, mixing proportion and standard deviation. From the results, an increase of size of bimodality is identified if mean increases while all other parameters remain constant. A similar situation of increasing pattern of bimodality size has been observed when parametric values of mixing proportion increases (varies) while keeping other parameter values constant. However, a fraction changed is revealed in the size of bimodality if values of mean and mixing proportion are kept constant while standard deviation varies

SUMMER INTERNSHIP WITH EXPERIAN LIMITED, NOTTINGHAM

Confidential as company base

Discovery of Remarkable New Ant Species of the Genus Pseudolasius Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) From Western Ghats of India

Pseudolasius zamrood sp. n., is described based upon the worker and the sexual caste. The new species marks the first record of the genus from South India and represents only the seventh species of the genus to be reported from India. The species appears distinct with its extremely reduced eyes. The new species is closest to P. typhlos Wheeler, 1912 from Philippines. However the new species has truncated anterior clypeal margin at the middle lobe, scapes relatively short and propodeum has relatively narrow dorsum in lateral vie