RETRACTED: An Energy Based Approach to Determine the Plastic Limit of Fine-grained Soil Using Modified Cone Penetrometer

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).This article has been retracted at the request of scientific committee of RAEREST 2016.The authors have plagiarized part of a paper that had already appeared in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Geotechnical Engineering, 168 (2015) 53 - 64. DOI: 10.1680/geng.14.00004. One of the conditions of submission of a paper for publication is that authors declare explicitly that their work is original and has not appeared in a publication elsewhere. Re-use of any data should be appropriately cited. As such this article represents a severe abuse of the scientific publishing system. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process

Occurrence of elevated nitrate in groundwaters of Krishna delta, India

Nitrate concentrations were measured in the groundwater samples of Krishna delta, India. The results indicate a large variation of nitrate from 10 - 135 mg/l. In 79 groundwater samples, about 39% shows high nitrate contents (>50 mg/l), which is more than the permissible limits in drinking water. In north Krishna delta 49% and in south Krishna delta 26% water samples were found to exceed the permissible limits. This study indicates that groundwater of north Krishna delta is more polluted than south. Nitrate pollution level is found more in dug wells compared to hand pumps/bore wells. In this region 49% dug wells and 31% hand pumps have exceeded the desirable limits. The possible sources for the high nitrate level in groundwater were identified as excessive utilization of nitrogenous fertilizers for agricultural purposes.Key words: Nitrate pollution, groundwater, Krishna delta, India

Toward the sequence-based breeding in legumes in the post-genome sequencing era

Efficiency of breeding programs of legume crops such as chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut has been considerably improved over the past decade through deployment of modern genomic tools and technologies. For instance, next-generation sequencing technologies have facilitated availability of genome sequence assemblies, re-sequencing of several hundred lines, development of HapMaps, high-density genetic maps, a range of marker genotyping platforms and identification of markers associated with a number of agronomic traits in these legume crops. Although marker-assisted backcrossing and marker-assisted selection approaches have been used to develop superior lines in several cases, it is the need of the hour for continuous population improvement after every breeding cycle to accelerate genetic gain in the breeding programs. In this context, we propose a sequence-based breeding approach which includes use of independent or combination of parental selection, enhancing genetic diversity of breeding programs, forward breeding for early generation selection, and genomic selection using sequencing/genotyping technologies. Also, adoption of speed breeding technology by generating 4–6 generations per year will be contributing to accelerate genetic gain. While we see a huge potential of the sequence-based breeding to revolutionize crop improvement programs in these legumes, we anticipate several challenges especially associated with high-quality and precise phenotyping at affordable costs, data analysis and management related to improving breeding operation efficiency. Finally, integration of improved seed systems and better agronomic packages with the development of improved varieties by using sequence-based breeding will ensure higher genetic gains in farmers’ fields

DEVELOPMENT OF HERB BASED PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN UTTARAKHAND STATE

Uttarakhand has been known as a place for best medicinal plants since ancient times as referred in original Ayurvedic classics i.e. Charaka Samhita (1000 BC). In recent years the pharmaceutical industries have realized its potential medicinal flora because of diversified agro climatic zone as well as less environmental pollution as 63% of the land belongs to forest. Thus the state has immense potential area to cater the demand to produce best Ayurvedic products nutraceuticals, cosmoceuticals and Agro-chemical based industrial products. Herb based Pharmaceutical industry is having great potential and opportunities for development in future because of acetate demand of the medicinal plants & their value added products are well accepted in Domestic & International Market as Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha, Homoeopathic medicines, Herbal Nutraceuticals, Herbal Cosmoceutical, Herbal Health drinks, Dietary Health Supplements, Medicinal Plants / Crude Drugs, Herbal Extracts / Concentrates, Veterinary Medicines, Health Foods. Various issues & challenges of Herbal Pharmaceutical Industries in Uttarakhand need proper attention of policy makers in favour of small industries. If, the challenges & issues related to development of Herbal sector in Uttarakhand is addressed the State could be the capital of Herbs in India

Circular Patch Antenna with Defected Ground for UWB Communication with WLAN Band Rejection

The design and performance of coplanar waveguide fed modified circular patch antenna for possible application in ultra wideband communication systems with band rejection for upper wireless local area network band (5.15 GHz - 5.85 GHz) is reported. This antenna is designed on glass epoxy FR4 substrate having size 30 mm × 20 mm × 1.59 mm. The coplanar waveguide fed circular patch antenna is modified by introducing L shaped slits in ground plane and U shaped slot in patch and performance analysis of antenna is simulated by applying CST microwave studio simulation software. Different designed antennas were tested with available experimental facilities. The developed end product shows a nice matching with feed network at frequencies 2.62 GHz, 3.94 GHz and 8.50 GHz and provides 10.38 GHz (3.33 GHz - 13.71 GHz) impedance bandwidth with wireless local area network 5.5 GHz (4.74 GHz - 6.15 GHz) band rejection. The co and cross polar patterns in elevation and azimuth planes at two frequencies namely 2.62 GHz and 3.94 GHz are obtained which dictate that co-polar patterns are significantly better than cross polar patterns. The simulated peak gain of antenna is close to 3.86 dBi and gain variation with frequency shows a sharp gain decrease in the frequency range 4.74 GHz to 6.15 GHz.

Outdoor resting preference of Culex tritaeniorhynchus, the vector of Japanese encephalitis in Warangal and Karim Nagar districts, Andhra Pradesh

Background & objectives : Entomological investigations were carried out in Warangal and KarimNagar districts of Andhra Pradesh during viral encephalitis outbreak in July 2003.Methods : Adult mosquito collections in outdoor were done using sweep cage method and in indoorwith the help of aspirator tube and flash light. Larval collections were done by dipping method. JEvirus positivity was tested by IgM capture ELISA test.Results : Outdoor collections revealed presence of Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. bitaeniorhynchusand Cx. gelidus and in indoor collections —Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, An. vagusand An. subpictus. In the outdoor collections Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was predominant (96.3% of totalcollection). Three samples out of 55 serum samples from human cases and five from contacts showedthe presence of antibodies against JE virus.Interpretation & conclusion : Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, a known vector of JE is predominant in outdoorsand playing a main role in JE transmission in this area. Vector control aimed at the outdoor restingpopulation might limit virus circulation in the mosquito vertebrate host cycle and prevent humaninfection

Identification and validation of selected universal stress protein domain containing drought-responsive genes in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.)

Pigeonpea is a resilient crop, which is relatively more drought tolerant than many other legume crops. To understand the molecular mechanisms of this unique feature of pigeonpea, 51 genes were selected using the Hidden Markov Models (HMM) those codes for proteins having close similarity to universal stress protein domain. Validation of these genes was conducted on three pigeonpea genotypes (ICPL 151, ICPL 8755, and ICPL 227) having different levels of drought tolerance. Gene expression analysis using qRT-PCR revealed 6, 8, and 18 genes to be ≥2-fold differentially expressed in ICPL 151, ICPL 8755, and ICPL 227, respectively. A total of 10 differentially expressed genes showed ≥2-fold up-regulation in the more drought tolerant genotype, which encoded four different classes of proteins. These include plant U-box protein (four genes), universal stress protein A-like protein (four genes), cation/H(+) antiporter protein (one gene) and an uncharacterized protein (one gene). Genes C.cajan_29830 and C.cajan_33874 belonging to uspA, were found significantly expressed in all the three genotypes with ≥2-fold expression variations. Expression profiling of these two genes on the four other legume crops revealed their specific role in pigeonpea. Therefore, these genes seem to be promising candidates for conferring drought tolerance specifically to pigeonpea

Direct radiative forcing and atmospheric absorption by boundary layer aerosols in the southeastern US: model estimates on the basis of new observations

In an effort to reduce uncertainties in the quantification of aerosol direct radiative forcing (ADRF) in the southeastern United States (US), a field column experiment was conducted to measure aerosol radiative properties and effects at Mt. Mitchell, North Carolina, and at an adjacent valley site. The experimental period was from June 1995 to mid-December 1995. The aerosol optical properties (single scattering albedo and asymmetry factor) needed to compute ADRF were obtained on the basis of a procedure involving a Mie code and a radiative transfer code in conjunction with the retrieved aerosol size distribution, aerosol optical depth, and diffuse-to-direct solar irradiance ratio. The regional values of ADRF at the surface and top of atmosphere (TOA), and atmospheric aerosol absorption are derived using the obtained aerosol optical properties as inputs to the column radiation model (CRM) of the community climate model (CCM3). The cloud-free instantaneous TOA ADRFs for highly polluted (HP), marine (M) and continental (C) air masses range from 20.3 to −24.8, 1.3 to −10.4, and 1.9 to −13.4 W m−2, respectively. The mean cloud-free 24-h ADRFs at the TOA (at the surface) for HP, M, and C air masses are estimated to be −8±4 (−33±16), −7±4 (−13±8), and −0.14±0.05 (−8±3) W m−2, respectively. On the assumption that the fractional coverage of clouds is 0.61, the annual mean ADRFs at the TOA and the surface are −2±1, and −7±2 W m−2, respectively. This also implies that aerosols currently heat the atmosphere over the southeastern US by 5±3 W m−2 on annual timescales due to the aerosol absorption in the troposphere