Molluscan Fauna of Surha Tal, District - Ballia (U. P.), India

Diversity of molluscan fauna of Surha Tal, district Ballia (U.P.) was studied during 2006-08.Twenty species of molluscs were collected. Of these, fourteen species of six genera belong to class Gastropoda, families Viviparidae, Pilidae, Thiaridae, Lymnaeidae and Planorbidae; six species belonging to three genera are of families of the class Bivalvia; Unionidae, Amblemidae and Corbiculidae

Description of six new species of the genus Cornudiscoides Kulkarni, 1969 (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) from two catfish, Mystus, Scopoli, 1777 and Sperata Holly, 1939, with a note on its biodiversity

The genus Cornudisoides Kulkarni, 1969 is a specialist monogenoid reported from two fish host, Mystus and Sperata. Despite their ecological importance, Cornudiscoides diversity remains unexplored, and the taxonomic description of nominal species is inadequate. The present study was performed to chart the biodiversity of the genus Cornudiscoides and defined the characters to identify their species quickly and efficiently using unambiguous characters. Examination of fish hosts collected from different localities of Uttar Pradesh revealed 12 known and 6 new species of Cornudiscoides. Since the original description of known species lacked some salient features, the present study has redescribed them and added new host records. The new species are described: C. tripathii sp. nov., C. lucknowensis sp. nov., C. speratai sp. nov., C. indicus sp. nov., C. kulkarnii sp. nov. and C. falcatum sp. nov. They have distinct copulatory complexes and vaginal armatures. A detail of the species diversity of Cornudisoides, their type host, new host record type locality, additional localities and major distinguishable characters would be helpful to understand the diversity of these parasites

Social learning for enhancing social-ecological resilience to disaster-shocks : a policy Delphi approach

Publisher Copyright: © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.Purpose: The plethora of contributions to social learning has resulted in a wide range of interpretations, meanings and applications of social learning, both within and across disciplines. However, advancing the concept and using social learning methods and tools in areas like disaster-shocks requires interdisciplinary consolidation of understandings. In this context, the primary focus of this paper is on the contributions of social learning to disaster risk reduction (DRR). Design/methodology/approach: By applying a three-round policy Delphi process involving 18 purposefully selected scholars and expert-practitioners, the authors collected data on the meanings of social learning for two groups of professionals, DRR and social-ecological resilience. The survey instruments included questions relating to the identification of the core elements of social learning and the prospects for enhancing social-ecological resilience. Findings: The results revealed strong agreement that (1) the core elements of social learning indicate a collective, iterative and collaborative process that involves sharing/networking, changes in attitudes and knowledge and inclusivity; (2) social learning from disasters is unique; and (3) linkages between disciplines can be built by promoting interdisciplinarity, networks and knowledge platforms; collaboration and coordination at all levels; and teaching and practicing trust and respect. Social learning is useful in preparing for and responding to specific disaster events through communication; sharing experience, ideas and resources; creating synergies for collective action and promoting resilience. Research limitations/implications: The policy Delphi process involved a limited number of participants to control the quality of the data. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first of its kind to identify the core elements of social learning, specifically, in the disaster-shock context. It also makes significant contributions to the interdisciplinary integration issues. Practical implications: The practical implications of this study are related to pre-disaster planning and mitigation through the application of social learning on disaster-shocks. Social implications: The social implications of this study are related to valuing social learning for the improvement of disaster planning, management, and policy formulation and implementation in reducing disaster risks. Originality/value: The study provides a consensus view on the core elements of social learning and its role in DRR and resilience building. Relevant to all stages of DRR, social learning is best characterized as a collective, iterative and collaborative process. It can be promoted by enhancing networking and interdisciplinarity.Peer reviewe

PSEUDODIPLECTANUM LUCKNOWENSIS N. S.P., A NEW MONOGENEAN IN NOTOPTERUS CHITALA (HAM.) FROM LUCKNOW

p. I knowensin. sp., is described from Notopterus chitala (Ham), purchased from the local fish market, Lucknow. It is characterised by the number and arrangement of head organs, presence of pharyngeal glands, long coiled cirrus, number of Sclerites on Squamodiscs and shape of bars and anchors. This is first record of Pseudodiplectanum from a freshwater fish of India

DOGIELIUS LUCKNO WENSIS N. SP. (MONOGENEAN : DACTYLOGYRIDAE) IN SECURICULA BACAILA (HAM.) FROM LUCKNOW

Dogielius lucknowensis n, sp. is described from Securiculabacaila Ham.), purchased from the local fish-market, Lucknow, It is characterised by the number of head organs, shape of accessOry piece of cirrus, structure of egg and number of marginal hooks

Extracting Physical Events from Digital Chatter for Covid-19

By June 3, 2021, the US experienced over 33 million total cases of Covid-19, surpassing 592,000 deaths. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised masking, social distancing and avoiding mass gatherings. In this work, we seek to automatically identify physical mass gathering events including dates and locations from digital chatter, i.e., social media data. We also study spread and sentiment associated with such large gathering events, finding a moderate negative correlation between large public gatherings, overall sentiment, and reported Covid-19 case numbers post event

An Embedded Systems Perspective in Conceptualizing Canada’s Healthcare Sustainability

Healthcare sustainability has been dominated by a strong fiscal orientation. In an era of budget cuts and staff reductions, the financial challenges in Canadian healthcare are immediate and must be addressed. However, an independent focus on financial viability is too narrow a framing; too limited to allow for the kind of creative, novel, and even radical thinking that is required to fundamentally alter the current course of healthcare in Canada and internationally. Prospects for solving the current financial challenges are likely to be greatly enhanced if we simultaneously account for the broad and interrelated dimensions of sustainability. What would a healthcare system look like if sustainability were adopted as the focal and principal goal? And what might a “deep„ sustainability orientation imply for how we think about and manage healthcare systems? This analysis is informed by the notion that healthcare systems are fully contained within the societal system, which is itself fully contained within the broader ecological system. This model, which foregrounds nature as the most fundamental and important system, has both greater ecological validity and particular relevance to the healthcare context given the interdependence between the health of natural systems and the health of humans. Our understanding of nature in relation to health may be key to solving or at least reducing the economic burden of healthcare. A multidimensional systems orientation thus has the potential to unveil new modes of thinking that highlight intersectoral relations, communications, collaboration, and cross-boundary learning for improved health and wellbeing, healthcare performance, and sustainability