केंद्रीय समुद्री मात्स्यिकी अनुसंधान संस्थान का मंगलूर अनुसंधान केंद्र

केंद्रीय समुद्री मात्स्यिकी अनुसंधान संस्थान का मंगलूर अनुसंधान केंद्

Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture Systems (IMTA)

The aquaculture production has grown steadily owing to the dramatic expansion in this sector worldwide. During the past three decades production increased from 6.2 million t in 1983 to 70.2 million t in 2013 (FAO, 2015). Aquaculture surpassed the supplies from the capture fisheries and contributed nearly 51% to the global fish production in 2013. This achievement was possible mainly because of the commercialisation of farmproduced aquatic groups such as the shrimps, salmon, bivalves, tilapia and catfish. This sector also benefitted from the significant production of certain low-value freshwater species through integrated farming, intended for domestic production. This growth in marine aquaculture industry, has introduced many apprehensions about the environmental impacts from aquaculture waste. Intensive finfish farming in cages can release significant quantities of nutrients to the farm site, from uneaten feed, faeces and excretory products. These metabolic wastes from farm effluents, mostly ammonia, may contribute to increased nutrients and localised eutrophication in the farm. One of the major challenges for the sustainable development of aquaculture industry is to minimise environmental degradation concurrently with its expansion. Though majority of aquaculture production originate from extensive and semi-intensive farming systems, the recent increase in intensive farming of marine carnivorous fed-species is associated with environmental concerns. Integrating waste generating (fed) and cleaning (extractive) organisms in mariculture is a practical technology for sustainable mariculture. In a balanced integrated system, aquaculture effluents can be converted into commercial crops while restoring water quality

Structural Behavior of Non-Oxide Perovskite Superconductor MgCNi3_{3} at Pressures up to 32 GPa

We report the pressure dependence of the structural parameters of the non-oxide perovskite superconductor MgCNi$_{3}$ up to 32 GPa using a diamond anvil cell and synchrotron x-rays at room temperature. The structure of the compound remains in the Pm-3m cubic symmetry throughout the pressure range. The bulk modulus $B_{0}=156.9\pm0.2$GPa with $B_{0}^{\prime}=9.8$obtained by fitting the pressure-volume data is in good agreement with theoretical calculations reported earlier. An anomalous shift of the (111) and (200) lines observed above 9 GPa indicates a possible local short range distortion that is consistent with earlier studies.Comment: 9 Pages, 3 Figures, 1 Tabl

SnTe microcrystals : surface cleaning of a topological crystalline insulator

Investigating nanometer and micron sized materials thought to exhibit topological surface properties that can present a challenge, as clean surfaces are a pre-requisite for band structure measurements when using nano-ARPES or laser-ARPES in ultra-high vacuum. This issue is exacerbated when dealing with nanometer or micron sized materials, which have been prepared ex-situ and so have been exposed to atmosphere. We present the findings of an XPS study where various cleaning methods have been employed to reduce the surface contamination and preserve the surface quality for surface sensitive measurements. Microcrystals of the topological crystalline insulator SnTe were grown ex-situ and transferred into ultra high vacuum (UHV) before being treated with either atomic hydrogen, argon sputtering, annealing, or a combination of treatments. The samples were also characterised using the scanning electron microscopy, both before and after treatment. It was found that atomic hydrogen cleaning with an anneal cycle (200 C) gave the best clean surface results

Mussel culture in mulky estuary, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka during 1997-'99

During 1997-'98 seasons, the mussel culture activities were carried out at Mulky estuary with the active participation of local fishermen and the growth rate was studied. Culture work was continued at two places in Mulky estuary during 1998-'99 seasons. The growth rate of mussels in Chitrapu area was higher than that observed in Mulky area. During 1998-'99 seasons, the meat content of the harvested mussel was low as they had spawned before the harvest. The culture works carried out at Mulky estuary reveal that mussel culture can be profitabily done during October-May months in Mulky estuary. The fishermen group can take up the culture activities as a part-time venture as the culture involves minimum labour only during the initial period and thereafter it needs little husbandry work. There is good demand for mussels in monsoon months when supply of marine fish is less due to ban on mechanized fishing. Mussels harvested in May can be processed and marketed for sale during the lean season, for which infrastructural facilities have to be developed. Once the marketing infrastructure is developed mussel culture activities can be taken up by more fishermen group in a profitable manner

Informal Finance Through Land Pawning Contracts: Evidence from the Philippines

Land pawning contracts in which the pawner temporarily transfers his land cultivation rights to the pawnee in return for a loan with an agreement to redeem it on loan repayment have increased in importance in Philippine rice growing villages. This paper uses cross sectional data from farm households in five heterogeneous production environments to analyze the determinants of the choice of pawning contracts. The analysis shows that land pawning is an informal credit instrument used by small farmers to obtain large loans to finance productive investments, such as non-farm employment, where the returns to investment are high. An econometric model was developed to examine the factors affecting the choice of pawning contracts and the observed loan size. The results suggest that farm households with poorer quality land, smaller farm sizes and lower physical and human assets pawn out land, while wealthier farm households with larger farm sizes and greater physical and human assets pawn in. The observed loan size is explained by reputation of pawners and rice cropping intensity in the region

Surface resonance of the (2×1) reconstructed lanthanum hexaboride (001)-cleavage plane : a combined STM and DFT study

We performed a combined study of the (001)-cleavage plane of lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) using scanning tunneling microscopy and density-functional theory (DFT). Experimentally, we found a (2×1) reconstructed surface on a local scale. The reconstruction is only short-range ordered and tends to order perpendicularly to step edges. At larger distances from surface steps, the reconstruction evolves to a labyrinthlike pattern. These findings are supported by low-energy electron diffraction experiments. Slab calculations within the framework of DFT show that the atomic structure consists of parallel lanthanum chains on top of boron octahedra. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy shows a prominent spectral feature at −0.6eV. Using DFT, we identify this structure as a surface resonance of the (2×1) reconstructed LaB6 (100) surface which is dominated by boron dangling bond states and lanthanum d states

A systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses of complex wound interventions reveals optimal treatments for specific wound types.

BackgroundComplex wounds present a substantial economic burden on healthcare systems, costing billions of dollars annually in North America alone. The prevalence of complex wounds is a significant patient and societal healthcare concern and cost-effective wound care management remains unclear. This article summarizes the cost-effectiveness of interventions for complex wound care through a systematic review of the evidence base.MethodsWe searched multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library) for cost-effectiveness studies that examined adults treated for complex wounds. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, abstracted data from full-text articles, and assessed methodological quality using the Drummond 10-item methodological quality tool. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were reported, or, if not reported, calculated and converted to United States Dollars for the year 2013.ResultsOverall, 59 cost-effectiveness analyses were included; 71% (42 out of 59) of the included studies scored 8 or more points on the Drummond 10-item checklist tool. Based on these, 22 interventions were found to be more effective and less costly (i.e., dominant) compared to the study comparators: 9 for diabetic ulcers, 8 for venous ulcers, 3 for pressure ulcers, 1 for mixed venous and venous/arterial ulcers, and 1 for mixed complex wound types.ConclusionsOur results can be used by decision-makers in maximizing the deployment of clinically effective and resource efficient wound care interventions. Our analysis also highlights specific treatments that are not cost-effective, thereby indicating areas of resource savings. Please see related article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12916-015-0288-5