Micromorphological studies of the leaf and stem of Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze with reference to their taxonomic significance.

The micro-morphological examinations of the leaf lamina, petiole and stem for Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (Theaceae) was carried out using a variety of microscopic techniques widely implemented in the area of medicine. The objective of this study was the micromorphological characterization of stem, petiole, lamina, stomata, leaf trichomes and other internal characters. The anatomical studies included the cross section of stem and leaf of Camellia sinensis thereby exhibiting a typical pattern of arrangement of tissues similar to woody plants. Some idioblastic sclereids like astrosclereids, osteosclereids were found in the medullary parenchyma of tea stem and leaf. Large numbers of sclereids were found mainly in the parenchymatous tissue of leaf petiole. Other micro-morphological features like trichomes, stomata, and different tissue layer were also recorded. The leaf trichomes were unicellular, long and densely present in the lower surface of immature leaf but a decrease in amount of trichomes was seen in the mature leaf making it a prime taxonomic feature of the tea leaf. The microscopic morphological analysis of the stem, petiole, lamina, stomata, leaf trichomes of Camellia sinensis can be used for its identification. In addition, these techniques can be further implemented for the taxonomic characterization thereby establishing a genetic relationship and solving taxonomic disputes in the field of plant systematics.

Environmental flow in the context of dams and development with special reference to the Damodar Valley Project, India: a review.

Environmental flow is the minimum flow required in a fluvial system to maintain its ecological health and to promote socio-economic sustainability. The present work critically examines the concept of the environmental flow in the context of dams and development using a systematic methodology to find out the previous works published during the last 3 decades (1990-2020) in different search engines and websites. The study reviews that structural interventions in the form of dams, barrages, weirs, etc. impede the natural flow of the rivers. Moreover, other forms of development such as industrialization, urbanization, and expansion of modern agriculture also exacerbate the problems of environmental flow across the world, especially in monsoon Asia. The present case of the environmental flow for the Damodar River portrays that the construction of dams and barrages under the Damodar Valley Project have significantly altered the flow duration, flood frequency, and magnitude (high-frequency low magnitude events in the post-dam period), while urban-industrial growth in the basin has polluted the river water (e.g., lower dissolved oxygen and higher biological oxygen demand). This typical alteration in the flow characteristics and water quality has threatened aquatic organisms, especially fish diversity and community structure. This review will make the readers aware of the long-term result of dam-induced fluvial metamorphosis in the environment through the assessment of environmental flow, species diversity, flow fluctuation, and river pollution. The study may be useful for policy-making for ushering in the sustainable development pattern that will attract future researchers, planners, and stakeholders.

Endovascular interventions in management of renal artery aneurysm.

Renal artery aneurysm (RAA) is a rare disease. With modern non-invasive imaging modalities, the disease is being increasingly diagnosed. It is a slow-growing aneurysm with high mortality in the event of rupture; especially in pregnant females for in which case patients were treated surgically. With advances in endovascular therapy, numerous techniques have been employed to manage complex RAA in artery bifurcation, branch and segmental arteries with excellent technical and clinical success. The various recent techniques include the use of flow diverter stents, remodelling with stent-assisted coil embolization (SACE), balloon-assisted coil embolization (BACE), selective embolization with coils-sac packing, inflow occlusion and coil trapping and selective embolization with liquid embolic agents-hystroacril and onyx. A combination of stent-graft with liquid embolization and liquid with microcoil embolization has been advocated with success. The most common complication encountered is renal infarction. This is mostly without impairment of renal function and secondary to embolization. Endovascular therapy has shorter operative time, less blood loss, shorter intensive care stay, done under conscious sedation and is associated with lesser postoperative morbidity compared to surgery. Reduction in hypertension, improvement of renal function and symptoms has been seen in most studies. Endovascular management of RAA has become the management of choice even with complex anatomy and technically challenging lesions.