Exploratory survey for biomass estimation

Bottom trawl surveys are widely used for monitoring demersal stocks when a simple index of abundance is required for scientific and related work. From unfished stocks (or stocks for which no or few data on the fishery are available), preferably the unexploited stocks, biomass and annual yield estimates may also be derived by undertaking bottom trawl surveys. The estimation of total biomass from the catch per unit of effort (or unit area) using a trawl survey, however, involves several crucial assumptions, leaving such estimates rather imprecise. But we can resort to this method when we require an immediate input to be generated and the methodology is less time consuming and easy to carry out

Data base management for World Trade: Indian and Global perspectives

Globalization is an unavoidable fact. It has been going on since the beginning of time, and as the cost of trade falls, international trade will only increase. Countries that have been successful at developing have often relied on international trade as the engine for their growth. Trade is also a measure of health of the Global Economy. International trade forms an important part of the world economy and, as such, must be measured reliably and the relevant statistical data should be comparable and widely disseminated. International trade statistics are an important primary source for most public- and private-sector decision-makers. The Trade database empowers organizations to leverage invaluable global trade information to strengthen and grow their business. Access to comprehensive import and export statistics will enable companies to make more informed decisions, leading to more successful results. Availability of timely and high quality trade statistics becomes a precondition for an in-depth analysis of the production, consumption, employment, income and overall welfare both at the country and global level

MRI versus clinical assessment in staging and response evaluation in locally advanced cervix cancer patients treated with concurrent chemo-radiation in a tertiary cancer center: a prospective study

Background: Carcinoma cervix is staged most commonly with FIGO staging even though it has a number of pitfalls, for standardization of treatment and epidemiological purpose. The objectives of this prospective study are to evaluate the role of MRI in staging of locally advanced cervix cancer and correlate with the FIGO staging and to assess the role of MRI in evaluating treatment response.Methods: 58 biopsy proved locally advanced carcinoma cervix patients who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria from January 2014 to October 2015 were recruited. After the standard pretreatment evaluation including MRI abdomen and pelvis patients were started on concurrent chemo-radiation. Pelvic External beam radiation (EBRT) to a dose of 45Gy/23 fractions for a period of 4.5 weeks with cisplatin 40mg/m2 weekly once. Followed by intracavitary brachytherapy HDR weekly once 7Gy/fraction x 3 fractions. Treatment response assessed as per RECIST criteria. As a part of follow up, three monthly clinical evaluation and 4-6 months MRI evaluation were done.Results: Agreement between MRI and clinical stage was evaluated by calculating the kappa value as the measure of agreement. The kappa value obtained was 0.18 which showed poor agreement between the two, while comparing clinical and MRI assessment with regard to treatment response, the kappa value obtained was 0.08 signifying poor agreement.Conclusions: Correlation of FIGO and MRI staging reveals significant discordance between the two and on further evaluation it is seen that MRI staging correlates well with the local recurrence of the disease

केरल तट पर मद बैंक मात्स्यिकी का अध्ययन

केरल तट पर मद बैंक मात्स्यिकी का अध्यय

Approach and implementation strategies for Marine Fisheries Census 2016

Fisheries sector plays a significant role in the socio-economic development of a developing country like India by generating employment and income, besides being source of protein for a large section of the population. It generates a substantial amount of foreign exchange through exports. Over a period, marine fisheries sector in India has witnessed a significant improvement in fishing gear technologies, infrastructure, communication and transportation facilities which resulted in an increase in the annual marine fish production from 0.5 million tonnes in 1950 to 3.59 million tonnes in 2014. Marine fisheries are considered as renewable resources, but its management and development supported by focussed research activities are necessary to ensure sustainable fish production from the seas

Transplant ineligible multiple myeloma patients presenting as paraplegia/paraparesis a prospective single institution study

Background: Multiple myeloma a plasma cell neoplasm characterized by heterogeneous myriad of presentation with paraparesis or paraplegia in 20% cases due to spinal cord compression by vertebral collapse, compression or fracture.Methods: This is a prospective observational study of thirty transplant ineligible multiple myeloma patients with paraplegia/paraparesis. Pretreatment evaluation done as per standard protocol including MRI whole spine. Involved spine XRT 8Gy single fraction followed by BLD (Bortezomib 1.3mg/m2 weekly once, Lenalidomide 10mg/m2 for 21 days, oral dexamethasone 40 mg weekly once). Neurological parameters, time to neurological and tumor response at 6 months assessed. Patients in very good partial response or complete response were maintained on Lenalidomide and bisphosphonate therapy for a period of two years. The duration of symptoms and time to response were analyzed with Mann Whitney Cox test.Results: 15 patients were grade 0 power and others grade 1 or 2. Median time to any neurological response was 2.97 weeks. 63.3% of patients achieved power of grade 5, 30% grade 4 and 6.7% grade 3 powers. 23.3% patients received complete response while 63.3% patient’s very good partial response.Conclusions: Bedridden myeloma patients had an excellent improvement in quality of life and tumor control with this treatment schedule.

Trends in abundance of marine fishery resources in India examined through dynamic factor analysis

Dynamic factor analysis (DFA) was used to identify common trends to explain the variability for a historical time series data (1980-2010) on all India annual marine fish landings for 16 resource groups. In this study, three common trends were identified for classifying the resource groups. Trend-1 increases gradually and reaches a peak in 1997, decreases sharply until 2001 and then increases further. Landings of carangids were clearly related to trend-1 with positive factor loading magnitude. Trend-1 is important for Bombayduck as well but with negative factor loading. In the case of trend-2, it is declining until 1993 and remains steady with slight fluctuations till 2003 and increases further. Both, silverbellies and pomfrets landings were determined by trend-2 with similar positive factor loadings. All other resources were associated with more than one trend. Trend-3 shows an increasing trend throughout the period with slight fluctuations. Perches, seerfishes, tunnies, flatfishes, crustaceans and molluscs formed a homogenous group associated with both trend-1 and trend-3. These trends were important for elasmobranchs too as they had similar loadings on both trends but with opposite signs. Resource-wise explanations based on the different trends are discussed citing the examples of clupeids, carangids, Bombayduck, pomfrets and silverbellies

Course Manual Winter School on Structure and Functions of Marine Ecosystem: Fisheries

Marine ecosystems comprises of diverse organisms and their ambient abiotic components in varied relationships leading to an ecosystem functioning. These relationships provides the services that are essential for marine organisms to sustain in the nature. The studies examining the structure and functioning of these relationships remains unclear and hence understanding and modelling of the ecological functioning is imperative in the context of the threats different ecosystem components are facing. The relationship between marine population and their environment is complex and is subjected to fluctuations which affects the bottom level of an ecosystem pyramid to higher trophic levels. Understanding the energy flow within the marine ecosystems with the help of primary to secondary producers and secondary consumers are potentially important when assessing such states and changes in these environments. Many of the physiological changes are known to affect the key functional group, ie. the species or group of organisms, which play an important role in the health of the ecosystem. In marine environment, phytoplankton are the main functional forms which serves as the base of marine food web. Any change in the phytoplankton community structure may lead to alteration in the composition, size and structure of the entire ecosystem. Hence, it is critical to understand how these effects may scale up to population, communities, and entire marine ecosystem. Such changes are difficult to predict, particularly when more than one trophic level is affected. The identification and quantification of indicators of changes in ecosystem functioning and the knowledge base generated will provide a suitable way of bridging issues related to a specific ecosystem. New and meaningful indicators, derived from our current understanding of marine ecosystem functioning, can be used for assessing the impact of these changes and can be used as an aid in promoting responsible fisheries in marine ecosystems. Phytoplantkon is an indicator determining the colour of open Ocean. In recent years, new technologies have emerged which involves multidisciplinary activities including biogeochemistry and its dynamics affecting higher trophic levels including fishery. The winter school proposed will provide the insights into background required for such an approach involving teaching the theory, practical, analysis and interpretation techniques in understanding the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems from ground truth measurements as well as from satellite remote sensing data. This is organized with the full funding support from Indian council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) New Delhi and the 25 participants who are attending this programme has been selected after scrutiny of their applications based on their bio-data. The participants are from different States across Indian subcontinent covering north, east, west and south. They are serving as academicians such as Professors/ scientists and in similar posts. The training will be a feather in their career and will enable them to do their academic programmes in a better manner. Selected participants will be scrutinized initially to understand their knowledge level and classes will be oriented based on this. In addition, all of them will be provided with an e-manual based on the classes. All selected participants are provided with their travel and accommodation grants. The faculty include the scientists who developed this technology, those who are practicing it and few user groups who do their research in related areas. The programme is coordinated by the Fishery Resources Assessment Division of CMFRI. This programme will generate a team of elite academicians who can contribute to sustainable management of marine ecosystem and they will further contribute to capacity building in the sector by training many more interested researchers in the years to come

Expression of Aprotinin in anther causes male sterility in tobacco var Petit havana

Expression of many proteinases has been documented during anther development. Although their roles are not completely understood, their inhibition could possibly result in impairment of anther development leading to male sterility. We proposed that such an impairment of anther development can be engineered in plants resulting in male sterile plants that can be used for hybrid seed production. Here, we report that antherspecific expression of Aprotinin gene (serine proteinase inhibitor) in tobacco has resulted in male sterility. Southern analysis and zymogram analysis confirmed the integration and expression of Aprotinin gene in the anthers of the transgenic plants. Transverse sections of anthers of transgenic male sterile plants showed damaged tapetum. The pollen germination in the transgenic plants ranged between 2% and 65% that confirmed the impairment in pollen production leading to male sterility and low seed yield. Thus, inhibition of serine proteinases that are expressed during anther development has resulted in impaired pollen production and male sterility, though the exact role of these proteinases in anther development still has to be elucidated.Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.http://www.springerlink.com/content/0735-9640/nf201