RESUMO A estimativa de fluxo descarga é um componente essencial do planejamento e da tomada de decisões. Está altamente correlacionado com muitas atividades de desenvolvimento envolvendo recursos hídricos. O estudo do transporte de sedimentos nos rios nos ajudará a desenvolver políticas e planos de conservação do solo, controle de enchentes, irrigação, navegação e problemas de biodiversidade aquática. Usando modelos baseados em dados, como Redes Neurais Artificiais (ANNs), a modelagem de vazão e do transporte de sedimentos é frequentemente adotada devido à sua aplicabilidade e capacidade de resolução de problemas. Este estudo utilizou três algoritmos de treinamento como Gradiente Conjugado Escalonado (SCG), Regularização Bayesiana (BR) e Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) para simular o fluxo de vazão e a concentração de sedimentos suspensos (SSC). Depois de otimizar o melhor algoritmo de treinamento baseado nos parâmetros de eficiência do modelo, o modelo LM-ANN foi utilizado para prever o fluxo vazão por dois anos e a modelagem de sedimentos suspensos foi validada com a ajuda de dados observados. O resultado mostrou que os resultados simulados acompanharam o fluxo de vazão, bem como o SSC com a precisão desejada com base nos parâmetros de eficiência do modelo, como coeficiente de determinação (R2), Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) e Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD). Os resultados do estudo revelam que no fluxo de córregos a concentração de sedimentos suspensos é significativamente afetada pelo material de rocha base, geleiras cobertas por detritos e gelo carregado de detritos não consolidados. O transporte dos sedimentos é alto na bacia de Alaknanda em comparação com as outras bacias e os estudos anteriores. Isso pode acontecer devido às severas atividades antropogênicas na bacia circundante.

ABSTRACT The estimation of stream discharge is an essential component of planning and decision-making. It is highly correlated with many development activities involving water resources. The study of transportation of sediments in the rivers will help us to develop policies and plans for soil conservation, flood control, irrigation, navigation, and aquatic biodiversity problems. Using data-driven models such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), modeling of streamflow and sediment transport is frequently adopted due to their applicability and problem-solving ability. This study has used three training algorithms such as Scaled Conjugate Gradient (SCG), Bayesian Regularization (BR), and Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) to simulate the streamflow and Suspended Sediments Concentration (SSC). After optimizing the best training algorithm based on the model efficiency parameters, L-M based-ANN model has been used to predict streamflow for two years and the modeling of suspended sediments was validated with the help of observed data. The result shows that the simulated results tracked the streamflow as well as SSC with the desired accuracy based on the model efficiency parameters such as coefficient of Determination (R2), Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD). The study's outcomes reveal that in the streamflow the concentration of suspended sediments is significantly affected by the base rock material, glaciers covered by debris, and moraine-laden ice. The transportation of the sediments is high in the Alaknanda basin as compared to the other basins and the previous studies. This might happen due to the severe anthropogenic activities in the surrounding basin.

Resumo Um experimento foi conduzido para estudar a variabilidade genética e o desempenho de nove cultivares exóticas de lilium (Lilium x hybrida) para adequação ao cultivo comercial nas regiões montanhosas do noroeste de Uttarakhand na Estação de Pesquisa e KVK, Lohaghat, GBPUA & T, Pantnagar, Champawat, Uttarakhand, India. Bulbos de nove cultivares híbridos de lilium viz., Acapulco (rosa), Sorbonne (branco), Yelloween (amarelo), Tresor (laranja), Brindisi (rosa), Blackout (vermelho), Pavia (amarelo), Ercolano (branco) e Samur (rosa) foram selecionados como material experimental. Houve diferença significativa nos dias de iniciação das gemas entre as nove cultivares. É evidente, a partir dos dados que demoram dias mínimos para o início da brotação na cultivar Blackout (44 dias), seguido de Tresor (45 dias). O número máximo de flores por planta relatado nas cultivares Acapulco (10,20) seguido por Yelloween (8,20) e Sorbonne (7,80) que está no mesmo nível de Blackout (7,40) e Pavia (7,20). A vida máxima de vaso foi registrada com Acapulco (12,4 dias) seguido por Sorbonne (11,80 dias), que está em paridade com Yelloween (11,8 dias), enquanto a vida mínima de vaso foi registrada com Ercolano (8,40 dias) e Tresor (8,40 dias). O valor médio encontrado foi máximo para o comprimento do caule da flor (87,29) e o valor médio mínimo foi exibido para o número de flores por planta. O valor de herdabilidade foi encontrado máximo para caracteres como dias para a abertura do botão da flor seguido pelo comprimento do caule da flor e dias necessários para o início da brotação.

Abstract An experiment was conducted to study genetic variability and performance of nine exotic lilium cultivars (Lilium x hybrida) for suitability for commercial cultivation in North Western hilly regions of Uttarakhand at Research Station and KVK, Lohaghat, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar, Champawat, Uttarakhand India. Bulbs of nine lilium hybrid cultivars viz., Acapulco (Pink), Sorbonne (White), Yelloween (Yellow), Tresor (Orange), Brindisi (Pink), Blackout (Red), Pavia (Yellow), Ercolano (White) and Samur (Pink) were selected as experimental material. There was significant difference in days taken for bud initiation among nine cultivars. It is evident from data that minimum days take for bud initiation in cultivar Blackout (44 days) followed by Tresor (45 days). The maximum number of flowers per plant reported in cultivars Acapulco (10.20) followed by Yelloween (8.20) and Sorbonne (7.80) which is at par with Blackout (7.40) and Pavia (7.20). Maximum vase life was recorded with Acapulco (12.4 days) followed by Sorbonne (11.80 days) which is at par with Yelloween (11.8 days) while Minimum vase life was recorded with Ercolano (8.40 days) and Tresor ( 8.40 days). Mean value was found maximum for flower stem length (87.29) and minimum mean value was exhibited by number of flowers per plant. Heritability value was found maximum for characters like days to flower bud opening followed by length of flower stalk and days taken to bud initiation.

Las hojas y semillas de alholva o fenogreco (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) se han utilizado ampliamente con fines medicinales. Se conoce que las semillas de alholva presentan propiedades antidiabéticas y efectos tales como hipocolesterolémico, anti-cancerígeno y tiroxina inducida de la hiperglucemia. Los resultados de los experimentos realizados revelan una considerable variabilidad entre los genotipos de alholva. Se diferencian en la morfología, hábito de crecimiento, biomasa, y capacidad de producción de semillas. Los componentes químicos de la semilla como por ejemplo los contenidos de polifenol, ácido fítico, saponina, carbohidratos, proteínas y análisis proximal (% de humedad, cenizas, fibra, Zn, Fe, Mn, y Mg) también diferían notablemente. Esta variabilidad es a menudo pasado por alto o es subestimada en los ensayos clínicos. Los resultados sugieren que la variabilidad genética y la interacción genotipo x ambiente desempeñarán un papel importante cuando el cultivo es utilizado por la industria nutracéutica. Además la variabilidad de rasgos importantes de la alholva indican que su base genética, permite la selección para el mejoramiento de los niveles de estos rasgos. La alholva juega un papel importante para avanzar hacia la explotación de su cultivo y superar la deficiencia de micronutrientes en los seres humanos. Los temas asociados para fortalecer la biofortificación de cultivos a través de la investigación y desarrollo de la alholva, serán tratados en esta publicación.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) leaves and seeds have been used extensively for medicinal purposes. Fenugreek seed is known to exhibit anti-diabetic properties and effects such as hypocholesterolaemic, anticancerous and thyroxine-induced hyperglycaemia. The result of the present experiment reveals considerable variability among fenugreek genotypes. They differ in morphology, growth habit, biomass and seed production capability. Chemical constituents of the seed, e.g. polyphenol, phytic acid, saponin, carbohydrate, protein and proximate analysis (moisture %, ash, fiber, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Mg) contents also differed markedly. This variability is most often overlooked or underestimated in clinical trials. Our research suggests that the genetic variability and the genotype by environmental interaction will play a significant role when the crop is used by the nutraceutical industry. Our research results indicate that the variability for important traits in fenugreek have a genetic base, making selection for improved levels of these traits possible. Fenugreek plays a major role to progress towards the exploitation of crop to overcome micronutrient deficiency in human beings. The associated issues to strengthen crop biofortification through fenugreek research and development have been dealt in this piece of research work.

En la India, los recursos acuáticos de agua dulce están sufriendo debido a la creciente población humana, la urbanización y la escasez de todo tipo de recursos naturales como el agua. Para mitigar esto, se ha planificado bajo un amplio esquema que todos los grandes ríos estén interconectados a través de un sistema de canales, sin embargo, la información básica sobre las condiciones ecológicas de los ríos tropicales y sus comunidades de peces es escasa en la actualidad. En vista de ello, el presente estudio se realizó para evaluar el estado ecológico, mediante la comparación de los parámetros tróficos de la comunidad de peces, estado de conservación y el agua de los dos ríos tropicales de la cuenca del Ganges, de octubre 2007 a noviembre 2009. El análisis de los nichos tróficos de las especies de peces disponibles indican dominancia de carnívoros (19 especies) en el río Ken y omnívoros (23 especies) en Betwa. El nivel trófico de las especies carnívoras fue similar en ambos ríos (33.33%), mientras que las especies omnívoras fueron mayores en Betwa (36.51%) que en Ken (28.07%). Sitios relativamente inalterados de Betwa (B1, B2 y B3) y Ken (K2, K3 y K5) se caracterizaron por la alta diversidad y riqueza de especies de peces amenazadas. Los puntajes medios más altos del nivel trófico se registraron en B4 de Betwa y K4 de Ken. El índice de Bray-Curtis para el nivel trófico identificó las especies carnívoras (>0.32) como indicadoras de contaminación. Exposición antropogénica, reflejada en la calidad del agua, así como en la estructura de la comunidad de peces, fue más alta, especialmente en los tramos inferiores de ambos ríos. Nuestros resultados sugieren la importancia de métricas tróficas en la comunidad de peces, para la evaluación de las condiciones ecológicas, lo que permite hacer predicciones sobre el efecto de futuros cambios morfodinámicos (en las fases de post-interconexión), y proporcionar un marco y condición de referencia para apoyar los esfuerzos de restauración de hábitat de peces relativamente alterados en los ríos tropicales de la India.

In India, freshwater aquatic resources are suffering from increasing human population, urbanization and shortage of all kind of natural resources like water. To mitigate this, all the major rivers have been planned for a river-interlinking through an interlinking canal system under a huge scheme; yet, the baseline information on ecological conditions of those tropical rivers and their fish communities is lacking at present. In view of that, the present study was undertaken to assess the ecological condition by comparing the trophic metrics of the fish community, conservation status and water chemistry of the two tropical rivers of the Ganga basin, from October 2007 to November 2009. The analysis of trophic niches of the available fish species indicated dominancy of carnivorous (19 species) in river Ken and omnivorous (23 species) in Betwa. The trophic level score of carnivorous species was recorded similar (33.33%) in both rivers, whereas omnivorous species were mostly found in Betwa (36.51%) than Ken (28.07%). Relatively undisturbed sites of Betwa (B1, B2 and B3) and Ken (K2, K3 and K5) were characterized by diverse fish fauna and high richness of threatened species. The higher mean trophic level scores were recorded at B4 of Betwa and K4 of Ken. The Bray-Curtis index for trophic level identified the carnivorous species (>0.32) as an indicator species for pollution. Anthropogenic exposure, reflected in water quality as well as in fish community structure, was found higher especially in the lower stretches of both rivers. Our results suggest the importance of trophic metrics on fish community, for ecological conditions evaluation, which enables predictions on the effect of future morphodynamic changes (in the post-interlinking phases), and provide a framework and reference condition to support restoration efforts of relatively altered fish habitats in tropical rivers of India.

Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) is caused by the members of superantigen family called staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). About 20 different types of SEs are produced by Staphylococcus aureus out of which type A (SEA), B (SEB), C (SEC) and D (SED) are commonly implicated in SFP. Among these, SEB is the most potent toxin and has also gained the status of biological warfare (BW) agent. Therefore, detection of SEB is of utmost importance. Any immunological detection system for SEB requires specific and sensitive antibodies which inturn depends on the purity of the SEB. In the present investigation, seb gene of S. aureus was cloned and expressed in E. coli along with biotin as fusion partner to facilitate the purification process. The yield of purified recombinant SEB was 13.1 mg/L of culture broth. Biotin tag from the biotinylated toxin was removed by protease cleavage, and both biotinylated and non-biotinylated toxin types were used for raising hyperimmune antiserum. Antisera were also specific for SEB amongst different kinds of food poisoning agents tested by indirect plate ELISA and western blot analysis. The quality of the antisera raised in this study was found superior to the commercially available antiserum. The investigation suggests that construction of recombinant staphylococcal enterotoxin B is a good alternative for production of pure enterotoxin to be used in antibody generation.