Low Cost In-Situ Formation of AIN - B- SiC

AIN-a-SiC composite powders have been prepared by in-situ high temperature reaction process. By appropriate mixing of Charred Rice Husk (CRH) and aluminium powder, samples containing 30-70% A1N (balance SiC) have been produced. Nitridation has been done by high purity N, gas at temperatures ranging from 1400-17000C.Amorphous SiO, and carbon present in CRH have been utilized for the formation of [i-SiC. At about 1550°C the reaction products are only [3-SiC and AIN, whereas,below 1550°C other phases, like a-A1,03, Al, Si are the reaction products. It has also been observed that above 1600°C SiC starts going into the solid solution of A1N. The final products have been identified and characterized by XRD, SEM and EDX analysis

Genetic and phenotypic parameters of growth traits in Muzaffarnagari sheep

Data on 2,540 Muzaffarnagari lambs born during 1992– 2006 at CIRG were recorded to study growth traits and genetic and phenotypic parameters. Sex and period of lambing had highly significant influence on all the body weights and average daily weight gains except significant effect on 6-and-9-month body weights. Season of birth showed significant influence on 6-and-9-month weight and on all ADGs except ADG during 0–3 month age group. Male lambs gained higher weight than female lambs at all the growth stages while year of lambing did not show any definite trend. Dams’ weight at lambing showed highly significant influence on birth and 3-month-body weight. Maximum growth of lambs (around 44%) was recorded during 0–3 month (pre-weaning) age followed by 3–6, 9– 12 and 6–9 age groups. This period of growth may be considered very crucial and should be ensured with proper management, feeding and health care for better productivity. Moderate to high genetic correlations of birth weight with subsequent weights indicated that selection of animals at early age will bring genetic improvement at later growth stages

Citogenetsko istraživanje heteroseksualnih četveraka u goveda (Bos indicus) - prikaz slučaja.

The birth of live heterosexual quadruplets (three females and one male) in cattle (Bos indicus) is a very rare event and hence this study was conducted to observe the chromosome constitution of the dam and the heterosexual quadruplets. The cytogenetic study revealed sex chromosome chimerism (2n = 60, XX/XY) and preponderance of female cells (XX) in the heterosexual quadruplets, and the dam exhibited 2n = 60, XX chromosome complement. A high similarity of chimeric ratios was observed in all the calves and a relationship was also apparent between the chimeric ratio and the distribution of sex of fetuses.Četiri živooteljena teleta različitog spola rijetka su pojava kod goveda (Bos indicus). U ovom radu obrađen je jedan takav slučaj (tri ženke i jedan mužjak) s istraživanjem kromosomske konstitucije majke i potomaka. Citogenetska analiza pokazala je kod raznospolnih četveraka kimerizam spolnih kromosoma (2n = 60, XX/XY) i pretežitu zastupljenost ženskih stanica (XX), a kod majke 2n = 60, XX kromosomski komplement. U sve teladi opažena je sličnost za stupanj kimerizma te njegova povezanost sa spolom plodova

Microsatellite-based phylogeny of Indian domestic goats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The domestic goat is one of the important livestock species of India. In the present study we assess genetic diversity of Indian goats using 17 microsatellite markers. Breeds were sampled from their natural habitat, covering different agroclimatic zones.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean number of alleles per locus (NA) ranged from 8.1 in Barbari to 9.7 in Jakhrana goats. The mean expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.739 in Barbari to 0.783 in Jakhrana goats. Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) were statistically significant (P < 0.05) for 5 loci breed combinations. The D_Ameasure of genetic distance between pairs of breeds indicated that the lowest distance was between Marwari and Sirohi (0.135). The highest distance was between Pashmina and Black Bengal. An analysis of molecular variance indicated that 6.59% of variance exists among the Indian goat breeds. Both a phylogenetic tree and Principal Component Analysis showed the distribution of breeds in two major clusters with respect to their geographic distribution.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study concludes that Indian goat populations can be classified into distinct genetic groups or breeds based on the microsatellites as well as mtDNA information.</p

Phylogeography and origin of Indian domestic goats

The Indian subcontinent contains 20 well-characterized goat breeds, which vary in their genetic potential for the production of milk, meat, and fibre; disease resistance; heat tolerance; and fecundity. Indian goats make up 20% of the world's goat population, but there has been no extensive study of these economically important animals. Therefore, we have undertaken the present investigation of 363 goats belonging to 10 different breeds from different geographic regions of India using mtDNA sequence data from the HVRI region. We find evidence for population structure and novel lineages in Indian goats and cannot reconcile the genetic diversity found within the major lineage with domestication starting 10,000 years ago from a single mtDNA ancestor. Thus, we propose a more complex origin for domestic goats

Effect of crenellation on different semen characteristics of cattle

The present study was conducted to study the crenellation patterns of semen and their relation with different seminal characteristics and post-thaw motility. Dried semen samples were classified into 6 grades (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2) based on the crenellation patterns. The study showed that breeds/strains had highly significant (P< 0.01) effect on different seminal traits. Significant (P< 0.05) effect of month of collection on sperm concentration and post- thaw motility was also observed. Crenellation patterns had highly significant (P< 0.01) effect on sperm concentration, initial motility and post-thaw motility. Sperm concentration, Initial motility and post-thaw motility was superior in A1, A2 and B1 grade and inferior in C1 and C2. B2 grade was of intermediate quality semen. A1, A2 and B1 grade ejaculates gave best post-thaw motility after cryopreservation. Poor post-thaw motility was found in C1, C2 and B2 grade ejaculates. Thus the crenellation can be effectively used as an indicator for simple and quick evaluation of semen quality in any semen laboratory as well as, at field level

Investigation of direct and maternal genetic effects on days open in Jersey crossbred cattle

Estimates of (co)variance and genetic parameters for days open (DO) of Jersey crossbred cattle were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML), fitting 6 animal models, including various combinations of maternal effects. Data on 792 records of 223 Jersey crossbred animals, descended from 51 sires and 170 dams were used. The direct heritability estimates for days open ranged from 0.04 to 0.10 depending on the model applied. The additive maternal effects varied from 0.06 to 0.09 in different models in this study, whereas the estimates of the fraction of variance due to maternal permanent environmental effects were practically negligible to very low (0– 4% of the phenotypic variance), irrespective of the models used. Results suggested that direct and maternal additive effects were important for this trait but, the low heritability estimates indicated little scope of genetic progress through selection for this trait

LARGE SCALE BIOREMEDIATION OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON CONTAMINATED WASTE AT INDIAN OIL REFINERIES: CASE STUDIES

ABSTRACT The petroleum industry effluents, oily sludge and oil spills cause a serious threat to the environment as their constituents are toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic. Safe disposal of these wastes is serious problem. None of the available conventional disposal methods are environment friendly. Biological methods have been well reviewed and acknowledged for remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated waste (oily waste). An indigenous microbial consortium was developed by assemble of four species of bacteria, isolated from various oil contaminated sites of India, which could biodegrade different fractions of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) of the oily waste to environment friendly end products. The said consortium was applied on field scale at different oil refineries in India and successfully bioremediated 48,914 tons of different types of oily waste. In 44 field case studies of different batch size of ex situ bioremediation process, the initial TPH content varying from 83.50 to 531.30 gm/kg of oily waste, has been biodegraded to &lt; 10 gm/kg of oily waste in major cases in 2 -12 months. In one refinery due to coastal climate, the bioremediation time was &gt; 20 months. The bioremediated soil was non-toxic and natural vegetation was found to be grown on the same. Bioremediation technology has helped various oil industries for the management of their hazardous oily wastes in environment friendly manner

House Shrew Suncus Murinus (Linnaeus) Feeding on An Olive Keelback Water Snake Atretium Schistosum (Daudin)

Volume: 96Start Page: 463End Page: 46