Harnessing ornamental fisheries resources for sustainable growth and development: A trade perspective from Kerala, India

Ornamental fish trade has gained paramount importance with more than 125 countries involved in the freshwater and marine fishes. The global trade is estimated to be around US $ 450 million registering a growth rate of ten percent since 2001. Asia caters up to 60 per cent of the global trade while India stands with a dismal 0.9 per cent with a portfolio of 30-35 fresh water species. The ornamental fish resources of Kerala has huge potential with untapped and unexploited resources. However the performance of the sector is not worthy and production is much below the demand. The SWOL analysis - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Limitations analysis - is done to analyse the status of ornamental fish industry in Kerala. The results indicated that good export market, high demand, availability of under-utilized marine resources, potential for rural development, low cost effort, efficiency of ornamental fish marketers, institutional support for development and promotions were the major strengths. Dependence on wild caught species, inadequate data on resources, wastage of resources, unwillingness towards marine fishes, lack of trained/ skilled manpower and organized trade, lack of adept technologies, poor marketing facilities, backwardness in international market, weak market image and lack of fishing regulations were the major inherent weaknesses. The major opportunities were enhancement of species portfolio, increasing market value, less capital intensive, high popularity and demand, breeding and culture of indigenous fishes, faster market growth, entry to new market destinations, increased awareness of international buyers and support of government. Technological backwardness, technology transfer, insufficient awareness programmes, adverse government policies, competitions from neighboring countries, sustainability of resources and drastic drop in fish prices were the major limitations. The study suggests concerted efforts by the different stakeholders to enhance the production of the sector

Electrochemical Generation of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes for Use in Synthesis and Catalysis

The electrochemical generation of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) offers a mild and selective alternative to traditional synthetic methods that usually rely on strong bases and air-sensitive materials. The use of electrons as reagents results in an efficient and clean synthesis that enables the direct use of NHCs in various applications. Herein, the use of electrogenerated NHCs in organocatalysis, synthesis and organometallic chemistry is explored

Problems and Prospects of Marine Ornamental Fish Trade in Kerala, India

The scientific advancements in fish husbandry and aquarium technology coupled with its potential in earning foreign exchange have facilitated the growth of marine aquarium fishery sector across the globe. Nearly 2 million people worldwide are engaged in marine aquarium keeping, either for recreation or as a means of livelihood. However, with richmrnamental fish reserves especially in the south-east and south-west coastal areas, India's share is insignificant to the global export in ornamental fishery sector. In Kerala, there are very few studies reported on the marine ornamental fish trade and hence this study throws light on the status of ornamental fishery trade in Kerala, including availability of resources, demand for this sector, problems and constraints in keeping marine aquarium and suggestions for improving this sector. The present study was conducted in three districts of Kerala viz. Kozhikode, Emakulum and Thiruvananthapuram and two different sets of interview schedules were employed to draw information on the status of ornamental fishing industry in Kerala and were administered among 60 traders and 90 hobbyists. Results show that the scope and demand for marine aquarium trade in Kerala is very high. Furthermore, the study portrays the demand for sustainable approach in promoting marine ornamental fishery sector in order to provide livelihood options to the fisher folk and to earn foreign exchange for the State

Development of diagnostic assays for rapid and sensitive detection of Phytophthora infecting major spices and plantation crops

Phytophthora, the ubiquitous stramenopile phytopathogen is a major threat to several economically important horticultural crops including spices and plantation crops. Trans-seasonal survival of Phytophthora in plant debris and soil continuum has considerable epidemiological significance as the quiescent propagules often serve as primary foci of infection with inherent potential to trigger epiphytotics in the succeeding season favoured by conducive environmental conditions. Hence, early and rapid detection of over summering propagules is highly imperative to manage Phytophthora induced diseases efficiently and economically. Twelve isolates representing different species of Phytophthora (P. capsici, P. tropicalis, P. palmivora. P. citrophthora and P. meadii) representing hosts such as black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, coconut, arecanut and cocoa were used to develop nucleic acid-based diagnostic tools viz., polymerase chain reaction (PCR), real-time PCR, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and real-time LAMP. Phytophthora genus-specific primers were designed from the conserved region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Each of the assays was specific and detected different species of Phytophthora and not other pathogens (Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium vexans, Fusarium oxysporum and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and plant samples. Sensitivity assays indicated that, real-time PCR detected Phytophthora upto 1.3 fg, followed by LAMP (13 fg) and PCR (13 pg)

Structures of FOX-4 cephamycinase in complex with transition-state analog inhibitors

Boronic acid transition-state analog inhibitors (BATSIs) are partners with β-lactam antibiotics for the treatment of complex bacterial infections. Herein, microbiological, biochemical, and structural findings on four BATSIs with the FOX-4 cephamycinase, a class C β-lactamase that rapidly hydrolyzes cefoxitin, are revealed. FOX-4 is an extended-spectrum class C cephalosporinase that demonstrates conformational flexibility when complexed with certain ligands. Like other β-lactamases of this class, studies on FOX-4 reveal important insights into structure–activity relationships. We show that SM23, a BATSI, shows both remarkable flexibility and affinity, binding similarly to other β-lactamases, yet retaining an IC50 value < 0.1 μM. Our analyses open up new opportunities for the design of novel transition-state analogs of class C enzymes

Salivary levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory biomarkers in periodontitis patients with and without acute myocardial infarction: implications for cardiovascular risk assessment.

BACKGROUND Periodontitis is initiated by a dysbiotic activity and furthermore leads to a chronic inflammatory response. The presence of pro-inflammatory markers plays an important role in the inflammatory load. Macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are pro- inflammatory biomarkers that quantify clinical and subclinical inflammation in cardiac ischemia in cardiac inflammation and disease. Adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory marker associated with good health. The susceptibility of periodontitis patients to cardiovascular events needs to be evaluated. OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the levels of biomarkers in periodontitis patients with and without acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared to controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory analytes were examined by collecting unstimulated saliva from three groups (n = 20/each): healthy individuals, individuals with stage III periodontitis, and post-myocardial infarction patients with stage III periodontitis. The samples were collected within 48 h of AMI. RESULTS Adiponectin levels were significantly lower in patients with periodontitis with and without AMI compared to controls, while CRP and MIP-1α were significantly higher in patients with periodontitis with and without AMI compared to controls. The highest titers for MIP-1α and CRP were detected among patients with periodontitis with and AMI. CONCLUSION Our study provides possible evidence of the association between periodontitis and salivary analytes that occur in tandem with cardiovascular disease. The lower levels of Adiponectin and higher levels of CRP and MIP-1α in patients with periodontitis indicate that this condition is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The findings emphasize the importance of early detection and intervention for periodontitis patients to prevent cardiovascular events

Effect of supplementation of differentially treated banana inflorescence on intestinal morphology in broiler birds

A study was conducted on 96 Vencobb 430, day-old broiler chicks to evaluate the effect of steam treatment on banana inflorescence supplementation as prebiotic on intestinal morphology. The birds were randomly assigned into three treatment groups having four replicates with eight birds per replicate and assigned control diet, formulated in accordance with BIS recommendation to control (T1) group and with supplementation of 0.5% dried banana inflorescence (T2 group) or 0.5% steam treated banana inflorescence (T3 group). After 42 days of feeding trial, the live weight was significantly higher in T3 and T2 than control. Two birds from each replicate were sacrificed to study the intestinal morphometry and pH. The weight of intestine varied significantly (p<0.01) between the treatments and was higher in T3 while the per cent of intestinal weight did not differ significantly. Intestinal morphometry revealed that the villus height was significantly (p<0.01) higher in duodenum, jejunum, and caecum in T3 and ileum in T2. The crypt depth was significantly (p<0.01) higher in jejunum, ileum and caeca in T3 and T2 in duodenum. Caecal crypt depth showed significantly (p< 0.01) low value in T2. Ileal crypt depth ratio was significantly (p<0.01) higher in T2 while the caecum crypt depth was significantly(p<0.01) high in T3. It is concluded that banana inflorescence influenced the gut morphometry in broilers

Tracking the Small with the Smallest – Using Nanotechnology in Tracking Zooplankton

A major problem when studying behavior and migration of small organisms is that many of the questions addressed for larger animals are not possible to formulate due to constraints on tracking smaller animals. In aquatic ecosystems, this problem is particularly problematic for zoo- and phytoplankton, since tracking devices are too heavy to allow the organism to act naturally. However, recent advances in nanotechnology have made it possible to track individual animals and thereby to focus on important and urgent questions which previously have not been possible to address. Here we report on a novel approach to track movement and migratory behavior of millimeter sized aquatic animals, particularly Daphnia magna, using the commercially available nanometer sized fluorescent probes known as quantum dots. Experimental trials with and without quantum dots showed that they did not affect behavior, reproduction or mortality of the tested animals. Compared to previously used methods to label small animals, the nano-labeling method presented here offers considerable improvements including: 24 h fluorescence, studies in both light and darkness, much improved optical properties, potential to study large volumes and even track animals in semi-natural conditions. Hence, the suggested method, developed in close cooperation between biologists, chemists and physicists, offers new opportunities to routinely study zooplankton responses to light, food and predation, opening up advancements within research areas such as diel vertical/horizontal migration, partial migration and other differences in intra- and interspecific movements and migration