Studies on External Morphology of the Indian Water Boatmen, Micronecta striata, Fieb. (Corixidae, Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

The order Hemiptera is divided into two suborders, the Heteroptera and Homoptera. The water boatmen Micronecta striata (Fieb.), 1808 belongs to the suborder Heteroptera which is characterized by base of rostrum usually not touching anterior coxae, gular region usually well developed, long pronotum large, forewings usually thickened basally and membranous apically, hind wings membranous, both pairs folded flat over the back with apices overlapping, tarsi normally three-segmented

Signature capture of red soil patches and their acidity-A case study of Banka district, Bihar, India

Colour in soils as well as other object is the visual perceptual property which is perceived by human eye. They are governed by spectrum of light corresponding to wavelength or reflected energy of the material. Developed model for soil acidity is based on visual interpretation, principal component and spectral enhancement techniques by using of the satellite image (IRS LISS III, 2014). In this context, red soil patch is much sensitive in red spectral band comparison to green and blue spectral bands and perceived as red tone by human eyes but same soil patch appears green in false colour composite (FCC) image of NIR (0.70-0.80?m), Red (0.60-0.70 ?m) and Green (0.50-0.60?m) bands. The maximum coverage of red soil patches having low pH < 6.5 (1:2.5) was recognized in 44.07 per cent of the total geographical area (3019.56 sq.km) under Banka district. Maximum red soil patches having their acidity were recognised in Katoria (18.56%), Chanan (15.15%), Bounsi (10.44%) and Banka (9.92%) blocks. Overall results indicated that variation of tone in different bands helps for the separation of red soil patches

Influence of fertilization modules on economics and profitability of rooted carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) cutting production

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the economics and profitability of rooted carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) cutting production influenced by fertilizer modules. Four commercial carnation cultivars, viz. White Wedding, Farida, Niva, Madras and five fertilizer modules were undertaken for investigation at the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan. Maximum net returns and benefit cost ratio was obtained from cultivar Niva (` 12 34 091.20 and 8.55:1) followed by Farida (₹ 11 40 851.20 and 7.90:1) and Madras (₹ 11 35 811.20 and 7.87:1) with fertilizer module comprising of 20-5-5 g/m2 NPK as basal dose and 200 ppm N + 280 ppm K as fertigation twice a week (FM5), while, lowest was associated with cultivar White Wedding. The cultivar White Wedding showed maximum net returns (₹ 10 95 435.43) and benefit cost ratio (7.59:1) with fertilizer module FM4 composed of 20-15-10 g/m2 NPK as basal dose and 175 ppm N + 245 ppm K as fertigation twice a week. However, the minimum benefit cost ratio was noticed in the cultivars White Wedding (5.86:1), Farida (5.46:1) and Madras (6.26:1), respectively, from fertilizer module FM1 comprised of basal fertilizer dose of 20-20-10 g/m2 NPK and fertigation with 100 ppm N + 140 ppm K twice a week except the cultivar Niva (5.33:1) where fertilizer module FM2 composed of 20-15-5 g/m2 NPK as basal dose along with 125 ppm N + 175 ppm K given as fertigation twice a week was predominant. Thus, farmer can get average net income ranges ₹ 7 68 206.57 with fertilizer module FM2 to ₹ 12 34 091.20 with fertilizer module FM5 in cultivar Niva from 500 meter square area. Further, this fertilization module may be undertaken to produce the desired quantity of rooted carnation cuttings to meet the demand and to get the maximum returns

Probing ultrafast carrier dynamics and nonlinear absorption and refraction in core-shell silicon nanowires

We investigate the relaxation dynamics of photogenerated carriers in silicon nanowires consisting of a crystalline core and a surrounding amorphous shell, using femtosecond time-resolved differential reflectivity and transmission spectroscopy at photon energies of 3.15 eV and 1.57 eV. The complex behavior of the differential transmission and reflectivity transients is the mixed contributions from the crystalline core and the amorphous silicon on the nanowire surface and the substrate where competing effects of state filling and photoinduced absorption govern the carrier dynamics. Faster relaxation rates are observed on increasing the photo-generated carrier density. Independent experimental results on crystalline silicon-on-sapphire help us in separating the contributions from the carrier dynamics in crystalline core and the amorphous regions in the nanowire samples. Further, single beam z-scan nonlinear transmission experiments at 1.57 eV in both open and close aperture configurations yield two-photon absorption coefficient \$beta$ (~3 cm/GW) and nonlinear refraction coefficient \$gamma$ (-2.5x10^-4 cm2/GW).Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Topography and instability of monolayers near domain boundaries

We theoretically study the topography of a biphasic surfactant monolayer in the vicinity of domain boundaries. The differing elastic properties of the two phases generally lead to a nonflat topography of ``mesas'', where domains of one phase are elevated with respect to the other phase. The mesas are steep but low, having heights of up to 10 nm. As the monolayer is laterally compressed, the mesas develop overhangs and eventually become unstable at a surface tension of about K(dc)^2 (dc being the difference in spontaneous curvature and K a bending modulus). In addition, the boundary is found to undergo a topography-induced rippling instability upon compression, if its line tension is smaller than about K(dc). The effect of diffuse boundaries on these features and the topographic behavior near a critical point are also examined. We discuss the relevance of our findings to several experimental observations related to surfactant monolayers: (i) small topographic features recently found near domain boundaries; (ii) folding behavior observed in mixed phospholipid monolayers and model lung surfactants; (iii) roughening of domain boundaries seen under lateral compression; (iv) the absence of biphasic structures in tensionless surfactant films.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, using RevTeX and epsf, submitted to Phys Rev

Developing textile entrepreneurial inclination model by integrating experts mining and ISM-MICMAC

The Indian textile industry is lacking in an entrepreneurial inclination of a skilled young generation; because of this, the industry is facing a challenge to achieve sustainable development and growth. To overcome this problem, the goal of this work is to build an entrepreneurial inclination model in the context of the textile industry. For achieving this goal, a combined approach of an extensive literature review and experts mining has been used to establish the entrepreneurial inclination factors in phased of the study. In the second phase, an Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) with Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliqués à un Classement (MICMAC) has been applied to build a structural model and to find the driving force factors and dependence power. The results show that effective entrepreneurship courses, institutional policy, training and internship, institutional corporation and the involvement of institutional heads play a very significant role in encouraging youth towards entrepreneurship. The outcomes of the study can help both the government and academic institutes to draw up effective policy and develop an entrepreneurial culture which can help to create more entrepreneurs in the textile field.N

High-spin spectroscopy in 207^{207}At: Evidence of a 29/2+^{+} isomeric state

Yrast and near-yrast states above the known 25/2$^{+}$ isomer in $^{207}$At are established for the first time. The level scheme is extended up to 47/2$\hbar$ and 6.5 MeV with the addition of about 60 new $\gamma$-ray transitions. The half-life of the 25/2$^{+}$ isomer is revisited and a value of $T_{1/2}$ = 107.5(9) ns is deduced. Evidence of a hitherto unobserved 29/2$^{+}$ isomer in $^{207}$At is presented. A systematic study of $B(E3)$ values for the transitions de-exciting the 29/2$^{+}$ isomer in the neighboring odd-$A$ At isotopes suggests a half-life in the 2$-$4 $\mu$s range for this state in $^{207}$At. The experimental results are compared with large-scale shell-model calculations performed using the KHM3Y effective interaction in the $Z$ = 50$-$126, $N$ = 82$-$184 model space and an overall good agreement is noted between the theory and the experiment. A qualitative comparison of the excited states and the isomers with analogous states in neighboring nuclei provides further insight into the structure of $^{207}$At.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figure

Ion-Induced Dipole Interactions and Fragmentation Times : Cα\alpha -Cβ\beta Chromophore Bond Dissociation Channel

The fragmentation times corresponding to the loss of the chromophore (C$\alpha$-- C$\beta$ bond dissociation channel) after photoexcitation at 263 nm have been investigated for several small peptides containing tryptophan or tyrosine. For tryptophan-containing peptides, the aromatic chromophore is lost as an ionic fragment (m/z 130), and the fragmentation time increases with the mass of the neutral fragment. In contrast, for tyrosine-containing peptides the aromatic chromophore is always lost as a neutral fragment (mass = 107 amu) and the fragmentation time is found to be fast (\textless{}20 ns). These different behaviors are explained by the role of the postfragmentation interaction in the complex formed after the C$\alpha$--C$\beta$ bond cleavage

MYBL1 rearrangements and MYB amplification in breast adenoid cystic carcinomas lacking the MYB–NFIB fusion gene

Breast adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC), a rare type of triple-negative breast cancer, has been shown to be driven by MYB pathway activation, most often underpinned by the MYB–NFIB fusion gene. Alternative genetic mechanisms, such as MYBL1 rearrangements, have been reported in MYB–NFIB-negative salivary gland AdCCs. Here we report on the molecular characterization by massively parallel sequencing of four breast AdCCs lacking the MYB–NFIB fusion gene. In two cases, we identified MYBL1 rearrangements (MYBL1–ACTN1 and MYBL1–NFIB), which were associated with MYBL1 overexpression. A third AdCC harboured a high-level MYB amplification, which resulted in MYB overexpression at the mRNA and protein levels. RNA-sequencing and whole-genome sequencing revealed no definite alternative driver in the fourth AdCC studied, despite high levels of MYB expression and the activation of pathways similar to those activated in MYB–NFIB-positive AdCCs. In this case, a deletion encompassing the last intron and part of exon 15 of MYB, including the binding site of ERG-1, a transcription factor that may downregulate MYB, and the exon 15 splice site, was detected. In conclusion, we demonstrate that MYBL1 rearrangements and MYB amplification probably constitute alternative genetic drivers of breast AdCCs, functioning through MYBL1 or MYB overexpression. These observations emphasize that breast AdCCs probably constitute a convergent phenotype, whereby activation of MYB and MYBL1 and their downstream targets can be driven by the MYB–NFIB fusion gene, MYBL1 rearrangements, MYB amplification, or other yet to be identified mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland