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Native Sikkimese yak in Sikkim state of India is a pastoral treasure being raised through centuries-old transhumance practices and has evolved in response to natural and man-made selection. Currently, the population of Sikkimese yak is at risk with about five thousand total headcounts. Characterization is essential for taking appropriate decisions for conservation of any endangered population. In an attempt to phenotypically characterize the Sikkimese yaks, this study recorded phenotypic morphometric traits information, viz., body length (LG), height at withers (HT), heart girth (HG), paunch girth (PG), horn length (HL), horn circumference (HC), distance between horns (DbH), ear length (EL), face length (FL), face width (FW), and tail length with switch (TL), on 2154 yaks of both sexes. Multiple correlation estimation highlighted that HG and PG, DbH and FW, and EL and FW were highly correlated. Using principal component analysis, LG, HT, HG, PG, and HL were found to be the most important traits for phenotypic characterization of Sikkimese yak animals. Discriminant analysis based on different locations of Sikkim hinted at the existence of two separate clusters, however, broadly, phenotypic uniformity could be observed. Subsequent genetic characterization can offer greater insights and can pave the way for future breed registration and conservation of the population.

Subgrade soils play a major role in the proper functioning of pavements. They are subjected to repeated loads due to traffic and often subjected to moisture ingress during monsoon seasons. If the subgrade is expansive in nature, lime stabilization is commonly adopted to mitigate swelling and shrinkage. However, the behavior of lime treated expansive soil under the cyclic loading and effect of moisture ingress is not yet fully understood. The subgrade is generally characterized by the parameter Resilient Modulus ( M R ), which is determined under laboratory conditions. Considering these issues, an experimental study is attempted to compare the resilient modulus ( M R ) and permanent strain values of untreated and lime treated soil. The comparison is made based on different percentages of lime and curing period. The test results are finally used to analyze the behavior of lime treated soil in their in-situ stress states.

This paper presents the study of single pile in the sloping ground under different static lateral loading conditions in which the pile is subjected to forward and reverse loading at ground level and slope level. Laboratory experiments are conducted in a test tank with cohesive soil by embedding a semi-infinite pile. The behaviour of the pile is studied by considering three different slopes (1V:3H, 1V:2.5H and 1V:2H) with varying positioning of pile in-terms of relative stiffness factor (R). Relative stiffness is found by conducting lateral load test in horizontal ground condition for the same soil properties. Lateral load corresponding to 5 mm displacement is taken as the ultimate lateral load. The deformation and bending characteristics of the pile are observed for different conditions and compared with pile loaded at the levelled ground. Numerical studies are performed to validate the test results and to assess the effect of water table on pile-slope behaviour. Parameters such as optimum distance from slope crest towards the embankment where the effect of slope becomes void are also studied.

Brucellosis is an important zoonosis worldwide. In livestock, it frequently causes chronic disease with reproductive failures that contribute to production losses, and in humans, it causes an often-chronic febrile illness that is frequently underdiagnosed in many low- and middle-income countries, including India. India has one of the largest ruminant populations in the world, and brucellosis is endemic in the country in both humans and animals. In November 2017, the International Livestock Research Institute invited experts from government, national research institutes, universities, and different international organizations to a one-day meeting to set priorities towards a “One Health” control strategy for brucellosis in India. Using a risk prioritization exercise followed by discussions, the meeting agreed on the following priorities: collaboration (transboundary and transdisciplinary); collection of more epidemiological evidence in humans, cattle, and in small ruminants (which have been neglected in past research); Economic impact studies, including cost effectiveness of control programmes; livestock vaccination, including national facilities for securing vaccines for the cattle population; management of infected animals (with the ban on bovine slaughter, alternatives such as sanctuaries must be explored); laboratory capacities and diagnostics (quality must be assured and better rapid tests developed); and increased awareness, making farmers, health workers, and the general public more aware of risks of brucellosis and zoonoses in general. Overall, the meeting participants agreed that brucellosis control will be challenging in India, but with collaboration to address the priority areas listed here, it could be possible.

Background and objective:Subependymal pseudocysts and choroid plexus cysts are seen in newborns on cerebral ultrasound. Clinicians are unsure whether these findings are related to an underlying disease which affects long-term outcome and requires medical intervention. In an attempt to establish the diagnostic value of cystic lesions on cerebral ultrasound and guide clinical management we searched the medical literature and performed a meta-analysis.Methods:We performed a systematic literature review and summarised the data on the value of subependymal pseudocysts or choroid plexus cysts for the diagnosis of chromosomal anomalies or congenital infections. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and likelihood ratios were calculated for single, multiple, unilateral and bilateral cysts.Results:305 patients with cystic lesions were retrieved. Bilateral cysts, irrespective of their number, had a sensitivity of 88% and negative predictive value of 94% for a congenital infection or genetic disorder. Unilateral single cysts had a specificity of 92% for normal microbiological and genetic results. Bilateral multiple subependymal pseudocysts or choroid plexus cysts had a positive likelihood ratio of 9.1 for a chromosomal anomaly or congenital infection. Unilateral cysts had a negative likelihood ratio of 0.2 for a congenital infection or chromosomal anomaly. There was a chance of 1 in 4–5 for a congenital infection or chromosomal anomaly if bilateral multiple subependymal pseudocysts or choroid plexus cysts were found.Conclusions:Bilateral multiple subependymal pseudocysts or choroid plexus cysts suggest an underlying disease. Further investigations should be undertaken even if the patient is otherwise normal. Parents of well newborns with a single cyst should be reassured.

As a representative of a genus with species considered to be potential commercial producers of the nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Thraustochytrium sp. ATCC 26185 was investigated to determine its potential for DHA production and lipid composition. Cells from liquid shake cultures contained 32% (w/w) lipid, 18% of which was nonsaponifiable lipid. The major saturated fatty acids (14∶0 and 16∶0) comprised up to 59% of the total fatty acids, and DHA was up to 25% after 6 d incubation. Squalene represented 63% of the nonsaponifiable lipid, and cholesterol composed 41% of the total sterols. The phospholipids expected for eucaryotic microbes were detected with phosphatidylcholine as the major phospholipid at 76% of the total. The ultrastructure of this species was similar to other Thraustochytrium species except that the cells did not have surface scales and they contained unusual membrane‐like structures that appeared to be associated with oil formation.

The sterol composition of 42 fungal species representing six of the eight orders of the Zygomycota was determined using gas‐liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry to assess whether the distribution of major sterols in this phylum has taxonomic or phylogenetic relevance. Ergosterol, 22‐dihydroergosterol, 24‐methyl cholesterol, cholesterol, and desmosterol were detected as the major sterols among the species studied. Ergosterol was the major sterol of the Dimargaritales, Zoopagales, and 13 of the 14 Mucorales families included in this study. Desmosterol appeared to be the characteristic sterol of the Mortierellaceae (Mucorales). 24‐Methyl cholesterol was the major sterol of the Entomophthorales genera Entomophthora, Conidiobolus and Basidiobolus, but cholesterol was the sole sterol detected in Delacroixia coronatus. The Kickxellales species analyzed in this study were characterized by 22‐dihydroergosterol as the major sterol. These results suggest that certain orders of the Zygomycota may be distinguished on the basis of major sterol. Also, if sterol structure has phylogenetic implications, then orders might be arranged in the order Kickxellales (C28Δ5,7) → Dimargaritales, Zoopagales and Mucorales (C28Δ5,7,22) on the basis of evolution of the predominant and presumably most competent sterol, ergosterol. Although the Entomophthorales would be expected to be more primitive than the above orders based on the predominance of C28Δ5,, it is not apparent from these data that members of the Zygomycota with ergosterol or its precursors as major sterols evolved from this taxon or the Chytridiomycota.

For the production of foam concrete which finds applications in many areas, generally as a function of its relatively lightweight, the use of stable and quality foam is the key requirement. However, the literature available on the influence of characteristics of foaming agent and foam on the properties of foam concrete are rather limited. Hence a more systematic research is needed in this direction. The present work focuses on the relative performance evaluation of foam (initial foam density, foam stability, viscosity of surfactant solution and bubble size) using a typical synthetic surfactant and additive using two different foam production methodologies namely stirrer and foam generator. Comparative studies on foam production methods indicated that foam produced based on compressed air method (foam generator) is of better quality with lesser liquid fraction and drainage compared to that of foam produced with stirrer. Also studies have proved that there is a strong relationship between viscosity of surfactant solution, initial foam density, foam stability and bubble microstructure.

The total sterols of selected Mortierella species were analyzed by GLC/MS with the aim of determining if the distribution of major sterols followed taxonomic lines within the zygomycetous family Mortierellaceae. Major sterols detected were ergosterol, desmosterol, 24-methylene cholesterol, 22-dihydroergosterol, and 24,25-methylene cholesterol, and their distribution followed taxonomic lines. In species belonging to the subgenus Micromucor, the qualitative sterol distribution patterns were similar to one another with ergosterol (43% to 69% of the total sterols) and 22-dihydroergosterol (16% to 35%) being the two major sterols. These species also contained the apparent ergosterol analogue C 2 Δ 5,7,22 and the corresponding Δ 5,7 diene. Although desmosterol was detected in each of the species belonging to the subgenus Mortierella, and ergosterol was absent, it was not always the first major sterol. 24-Methylene cholesterol and 24,25-methylene cholesterol were the first major sterols in some species. The results of this study show that the subgenus Micromucor is quite different from the subgenus Mortierella with respect to major sterol distribution patterns. Furthermore, because of the substantial qualitative nature of the differences, i.e., essentially no common sterols, the subgenus Micromucor may not be sufficiently related to the subgenus Mortierella to be placed in the family Mortierellaceae. Further support for this is that members of the two subgenera could also be distinguished on the basis of presence (subgenus Mortierella) or absence (subgenus Micromucor) of arachidonic acid. Furthermore, sterol patterns of the Mucor species analyzed in this study were similar to each other but were not sufficiently similar to those of the Micromucor to suggest a close taxonomic affinity with the Mucoraceae.