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Based on a comprehensive review of existing literature and examining the specimens, including 11 types that were housed in the Coleoptera Section of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, 154 species of tortoise beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) from India are identified. This represents approximately 5.4% of the species diversity of the known tortoise beetles. Photographs of the examined specimens (including type specimens) are also provided. The details of the distribution of all the species across Indian states (including districts and micro-locations) and biogeographic zones are presented. Studying the distribution data of the species reveals that the Western Ghats harbours the highest number of tortoise beetle species (84), followed by the Northeast (58), Deccan Peninsula (51), Himalayas (49), Gangetic plains (34), Islands (12), and Semi-Arid regions (12).

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Aims: In recent years, Arcobacter has been isolated from various samples. It can cause diseases both in human and animal and be transmitted to human through water, food, and continuous contact with poultry meat. Therefore, people exposed to the contaminated meat such as chicken meat can be exposed to Arcobacter too and as a part of its transmission route. Thus, in this study, the frequency of Arcobacter species was evaluated in slaughterhouse workers and poultry meat sellers and healthy people not exposed to the poultry meat.
Materials & Methods: In the present study, 85 slaughterhouse workers and poultry meat sellers (exposed group) and 85 healthy people with other jobs (non-exposed group) were studied. By simple method, fecal samples were collected from Health Center of Arak city and tested by 4 methods including direct observation, culture, PCR, and m-PCR.
Findings: Campylobacter-like organisms were observed in 32 out of 85 samples from the exposed group and in 11 out of 85 samples from the non-exposed group by microscopic observation method. No sample was positive by culture method. However, by PCR method, the frequency of Arcobacter strains was 20 in the exposed group and 6 in the non-exposed group. According to the m-PCR results, among the 170 samples, 21 A. cryaerophilus and 14 A. butzleri strains were identified.
Conclusion: Chicken carcass are introduced as a main reservoir for Arcobacter; therefore, continuous contact with poultry meat can have a significant effect on the transmission of Arcobacter strains to individuals. Therefore, this study showed that the frequency of Arcobacter strains is more in exposed group than in non-exposed group.

 

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A new species of the genus Ceratina Latreille, 1802 is described from Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya, India. The new species is assigned to the subgenus Ceratinidia Cockerell & Porter, 1899 which was previously represented by seven species from mainland India. Ceratina (Ceratinidia) bryanti Cockerell, 1919 is also reported for the first time from India. Diagnostic features are elaborated and illustrated and distinguishing characters are discussed from closely allied species Ceratina (Ceratinidia) bryanti Cockerell, 1919. Type localities mapped and augmented. An updated checklist of Ceratina species and their distribution in India is mapped and discussed.

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A vast number of tropical and subtropical mites belong to the family Tarsonemidae Canestrini & Fanzago, 1877, with the tribe Tarsoenmini under subfamily Tarsoneminae having the most diverse assemblage. In order to better understand the distribution, community structure, and host specificity of these mites, it is important to investigate the Tarsonemini mite fauna of India, particularly in the highly biodiverse state of West Bengal. A total of 1154 mite specimens were obtained from 69 distinct plant species belonging to 44 families and distributed over six agroclimatic zones in West Bengal. The mites were classified into 8 distinct genera and 38 morphospecies. We developed bipartite trophic networks for Tarsonemini mites for the first time to show how these different communities of these mites are associated to various host plant species in six different agroclimatic zones. Different network descriptors such as Connectance, H2, Niche Overlap and Robustness were calculated from the mite-plant networks of six agroclimatic zones. Northern Hill Zone had the highest diversity followed by New Alluvial and Teesta-Terai Zone whereas, Red Laterite Zone had the least diversity of mite species. More than 70% Tarsonemini mites were found as generalist plant inhabitants which is consistent with their epiphytotic microbivorous feeding strategy.

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The thrips fauna of Jammu and Kashmir is known for 21 species of suborder Terebrantia, while there are no known species of suborder Tubulifera till now. Two Phaleothripid genera, Bolothrips Priesner of the subfamily Idolothripinae and Cephalothrips Uzel of the subfamily Phaleothripinae are reported for the first time from India as well as for the Oriental region. These include Bolothrips dentipes (Reuter) and Cephalothrips monilicornis Uzel, and were collected in the year 1984 from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on grasses. Detailed diagnostic notes, material examined, distribution, and illustrations for these new records are also provided. Furthermore, the thrips fauna of Jammu and Kashmir has not been thoroughly studied, necessitating additional surveys to identify thrips species in this unexplored region.

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Nowadays, the spectrum is becoming more
and more scarce because of not only the demand increase
for wireless services and applications but also inflexible and
rigid spectrum allocation policies. A promising solution to
overcome this challenge is to exploit spectrum holes for
secondary users in cognitive radio. Taking advantage of
cognitive radio and dynamic spectrum access improves the
efficiency of spectrum utilization as it allows secondary
users to exploit the available frequency bandwidth. In
an opportunistic spectrum access scenario, the secondary
users can only utilize the frequency bandwidth when the
primary user is inactive. In this paper, we assume that
secondary users exploit the available frequency bandwidth
using opportunistic spectrum access approach. As a result,
one may model the available bandwidth to the secondary
users as a random process taking value of 0 or 1. In
this paper, we investigate the effects of Rayleigh fading
environment on the capacity of AWGN point-to-point
channel. Afterwards, we also go beyond point to point
channels and analyze Multiple Access Channels. More
precisely, we derive the closed form expression of ergodic
capacity region of Multiple Access fading Channel with
two independent sources. To the best of our knowledge,
no prior work has investigated the ergodic capacity region
of Multiple Access Channel under Rayleigh fading
with the aforementioned approach. Numerical analysis are
conducted to validate our theoretical results. Interestingly,
numerical results indicate that, against the common sense,
capacity of Rayleigh fading environment channels are
higher than deterministic ones in Gaussian point-to-point
channels.
 

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The problem of power allocation for distributed detection in a power constrained wireless sensor network is considered. The sensors are assumed to have independent observations and send their local decisions to a fusion center over multiple access channels. The Jensen-Shannon divergence between the distributions of the detection statistic under different hypotheses is used as a performance criterion. It is demonstrated that by applying the proposed measure power allocation is more efficient comparing to other criteria like mean square error or Jeffry divergence.

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In the present research, hydrodynamical and aerodynamical characteristics of a high-speed planning hull is studied using computational fluid dynamics. Simulations are three-dimensional with considering a two-phase turbulent flow. To obtain sinkage and trim of the hull, two degrees of freedom is assumed for it. Rigid body dynamic equations and governing equations of the fluid are coupled using 6DOF solver and dynamic mesh technique. Based on the available experimental results, simulations of the aimed high speed hull are performed in the linear velocity range of 0.9-8.31 m/s. Comparing the present numerical results with the experimental data, shows that maximum average error for resistance, trim and sinkage in different velocities does not exceed 10%. This shows the accuracy and proficiency of the current model. Mesh independency of solutions is studied for all velocities and the results are reported based on the most suitable mesh. At the end, the effect of applying steps on reducing the drag and improving stability of the hull is investigated for several states in one and two steps. Finally, the most optimized state is introduced and relating results are given. Results show that applying steps to the mentioned high speed hull reduce the overall resistance by 11%.

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Exploitation of heterosis is one of the potential means for improvement of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum var. grossum L.) that can further be utilized for identification of desirable recombinants. Promising hybrids could be acceptable to growers of tropical and subtropical climates if it is a high yielder with attractive fruit colour and blocky shape. Seven diverse parents were selected through multivariate analysis and were crossed in half diallel mating design to determine the extent of heterosis, mode of gene action, combining ability effects, and dominance estimates for 18 quantitative characters. Expression of fruit colour and shape at physiological maturity stage in the F₁ generation indicated the dominance of red coloured group over other fruit colour groups and dominance of blocky fruit shape over elongate and round fruit shape. Preponderance of non-additive gene action for most of the characters under study suggested the usefulness of exploitation of hybrid vigour. Three genotypes, 8/4, C/4, and Baby Bell were found most promising donors. The hybrids, Arya×Baby Bell, 8/4×Baby Bell and C/4×8/4 were identified as promising based on per se performance, heterosis manifested, and relevance of specific combining ability effects, for possible commercialization under low cost protected structure of tropical and subtropical climates after critical testing. Partial to over dominance response in inheritance of most traits contributed to the genetic basis of heterosis. Isolation of pure lines from the segregating generation of heterotic hybrids emerged as a promising approach to develop line-bred variety having improved fruit yield and quality.