Evaluation of the nutritional quality of selected dietary ingredients for mud crab Scylla serrata of Suarashtra region in Gujarat, India

Mud crabs, or mangrove crabs, are one of the most valuable groups of crab species in the world. Several studies have been conducted to describe the nutrient requirements of mud crabs. Only preliminary studies have been conducted to define the nutritional ingredients requirements for growing out diets. Results of the analysis revealed the major components of seaweeds (Ulva reticulate and Sargassum cinctum) poultry waste, earth worms and fish meal with carbohydrate 57.18 % (Ulva reticulate) and 55.86 % (Sargassum cinctum), 31.07 %, 21.83 % and 2.89 %, followed by ash content of 21.3 % (U. reticulate) and 14.1 % (S. cinctum), 8.4 %, 12.0 % and 8.40 %, respectively. The crude protein component of fishmeal, soyabean meal, earthworms and seaweeds were obtained in little amount with 61.20 %, 48.3%, 36.2 % and 13.41 % (U. reticulate) and 10.67% (S. cinctum) and followed by crude lipid component of poultry waste 25.0%, seaweeds 13.41 % (U. reticulate) and 10.67 % (S. cinctum), earthworms 9.52% and fishmeal 9.20%  respectively. These results of nutritional composition indicated that poultry waste, earthworms and seaweeds have potential as a source of feed supplement and human nutrition

Water Resources and Conservation Strategy of Pakistan

Water is one of the basic necessities of life. God has gifted Pakistan with abundant water resources, with rivers flowing down the Himalayas and Karakoram heights from the world’s largest glaciers and free and unique bounty for this land. Pakistan is basically an agrarian economy. Out of its total geographical area of 79.61 million hectares, cultivated area is 22.05 million hectares. The total area under irrigation is 19.02 million hectares [Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan (2005-06)]. Irrigated land supplies more than 90 percent of agricultural production and most of the country’s food. Agriculture sector is regarded as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. It contributes 25 percent of the GDP. About more than 50 percent labour force is employed in this sector. Agriculture sector is also the major user of water and its consumption will continue to dominate water requirement. Similarly, for industrial development main source of energy is hydropower which is generated by dint of water stored in big dams and reservoirs. Therefore the importance of the water for the survival of our economy cannot be denied

Career Education as Humanization: A Freirean Approach to Lifelong Learning

This article contrasts the view of lifelong learning posed by the human capital discourse with Freire’s understanding of education as a lifelong journey toward personal growth and social transformation. Rather than reducing learners to objects of economic globalization, Freire’s pedagogy considers students as political participants who actively shape their vocational and social lives. We argue that career education policies and programs should accept Freire’s understanding of lifelong learning as a necessary component of human ontology. The article also offers suggestions that career education teachers might employ to counteract the human capital assumptions framing the current discourse on lifelong learning.Cet article compare la perspective de l’éducation permanente selon le discours sur le capital humain d’une part et le point du vue de Freire selon lequel l’éducation constitue un voyage continu vers l’épanouissement personnel et la transformation sociale d’autre part. Plutôt que d’interpréter les apprenants comme de simples objets dans le contexte de la mondialisation économique, la pédagogie de Freire considère que les étudiants sont des participants politiques qui façonnent de manière active leurs vies professionnelles et sociales. Nous faisons valoir notre point de vue voulant que les politiques et les programmes en matière de formation au choix de carrière devraient accepter la vision de Freire selon laquelle l’apprentissage continu est une composante essentielle d’une ontologie humaine. De plus, nous proposons des stratégies que pourraient employer les enseignants d’éducation au choix de carrière pour amortir les hypothèses sur le capital humain qui dominent actuellement le discours sur l’apprentissage continu

Cortical oxygenation suggests increased effort during cognitive inhibition in ecstasy polydrug users

Background: It is understood that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) causes serotonin dysfunction and deficits in executive functioning. When investigating executive function, functional neuroimaging allows the physiological changes underlying these deficits to be investigated. The present study investigated behavioural and brain indices of inhibition in ecstasy-polydrug users. Methods: Twenty ecstasy-polydrug users and 20 drug-naïve participants completed an inhibitory control task (Random Letter Generation (RLG)) while prefrontal haemodynamic response was assessed using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Results: There were no group differences on background measures including sleep quality and mood state. There were also no behavioural differences between the two groups. However, ecstasy-polydrug users displayed significant increases in oxygenated haemoglobin (oxy-Hb) from baseline compared to controls at several voxels relating to areas of the inferior right medial prefrontal cortex, as well the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Regression analysis revealed that recency of ecstasy use was a significant predictor of oxy-Hb increase at two voxels over the right hemisphere after controlling for alcohol and cannabis use indices. Conclusion: Ecstasy-polydrug users show increased neuronal activation in the prefrontal cortex compared to non-users. This is taken to be compensatory activation/recruitment of additional resources to attain similar performance levels on the task, which may be reversible with prolonged abstinence

Modern Walking Robots: A Brief Overview

In this review, we would like to present some of the most interesting modern designs of walking robots: bipedal, quadropedal, hexopedal, and octopods. Their advantages and disadvantages are highlighted. It has been determined that structures with eight or more limbs are ineffective due to high level of electricity consumption. The use of more than six number of legs does not give noticeable advantages in profile cross-country ability or maneuverability, however, it allows to reduce the forces and moments of inertia forces due to decrease in mode coefficient (ratio of time spent by propulsor in support to time of entire step), and, consequently, smoother leg movements in swing phase

Using Technology for Learning: Generalizable Lessons from Educational Technology Integration in Kenya

This paper presents some initial findings from a multi-year partnership project on the integration of technology into the Kenyan education system. Specifically, qualitative evidence is presented on how results and lessons learned from the partnership project can be generalized and used by other research teams and projects using other technology platforms. Grounded in the critical theory of educational technology and using methodological strategies on the intersections of critical discourse analysis and critical ethnography, this paper examines technology integration in Kenyan public schools using the Learning Toolkit+ developed at the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada

Effect of higher salinities on growth and survival of pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931)

The growth and survival of Litopenaeus vannamei post larvae was measured in controlled different salinities condition 35ppt (T1), 40ppt (T2), 45ppt (T3) and 50ppt (T4) were maintained. Group of Shrimp post larvae (weight 0.032 g ± 0.002) were stocked at a density of 35 nos. /aquarium in above salinity ranges. Animals were fed with commercial feed (35% Crude Protein) @ 5% of body weight four times a day. The results indicate that higher SGR was observed in T2 (1.99±0.08) followed by T1 (1.75±0.07), T3 (1.54±0.06) and T4 (1.49±0.17). Highest survival (100 %) was recorded in T1 followed by T2 (96.42%), T3 (94.99%) and T4 (74.21%). From the results of the present study it could be seen that higher salinity significantly reduced the growth and survival of L. vannamei but will also open study area of physiological adaption of animal at higher saline water in performance of organisms

ANTICARCINOGENIC ACTIVITY OF RICE BRAN PHYTIC ACID AGAINST HUMAN BREAST CANCER CELL LINE (MCF-7)

Phytic acid (PA) has been reported for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer activity. However, molecular mechanism of anticancer activity is not clear. This study investigated the anticancer activity of rice bran PA against breast cancer (MCF-7). Cytotoxicty of PA (0 to 7 mM) against MCF-7 cells was examined by MTT and LDH assays after 24 and 48 h treatment. Apoptotic activity was evaluated by expressional analysis of apoptosis-regulatory genes [i.e., p53, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and -9] by reverse transcriptase-PCR and DNA fragmentation assay. PA inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells in a concentration dependent manner (p≤0.04). After 48 h treatment, cells viability was recorded 80.9, 71.1, 59.8, 36.6, 26.7 and 15.9% in MTT assay and 85.3, 72.6%, 62.3%, 42.1, 31.7 and 21.7% in LDH assay at concentration of 1.4, 2.2, 3.0, 3.8, 4.6, and 5.4 mM respectively. Hence, treatment of PA for 24 h, recorded viability of cells 84.6, 73.8, 61.0, 47.0, 28.8 and 17.3% in MTT assay and 87.8, 77.5%, 62.9%, 49.8, 35.7 and 23.3% in LDH assay at concentration of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 mM, respectively. PA treated MCF-7 cells showed up-regulation of p53, Bax, caspase-3 and -9, and down-regulation of Bcl-2 gene (p ≤0.03). At IC50 (3.4 mM) of PA, the p53, Bax, caspase 3 and -9 genes were up-regulated by 6.34, 4.90, 23.45 and 15.03 folds respectively. Also, the fragmented genomic DNA in PA treated cells showed the signs of apoptosis. Our study endorsed the biological activity of PA and demonstrated the PA induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells by modulating the expression of apoptosis-regulatory genes. Keyword: Phytic acid, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, caspases, p53, Bax, Bcl-2, DNA fragmentatio