Strengthening governance of agriculture to enhance competitiveness of farmers in Pacific Islands countries

Effectiveness of governance and its regulatory quality matter for agricultural development in Pacific islands countries. Agriculture in these countries is important but is poorly developed and suffers due to weak agricultural institutions and governance issues. A stronger performing agriculture is crucial but its development depends on the enabling environment. There is need to facilitate the farmers by enhancing their competitiveness and bargaining power. Needed actions for strengthening the governance in PICs are: investment in rural and market infrastructures and services, ensuring quality of farm enterprises, strengthening the extension capabilities and promotion of regional brand for niche products

A First Principle Study of Pressure Induced Structural and Electronic Properties in Neptunium Bismuthide

We have examined the pressure induced structural and electronic   properties of neptunium monobismuthides. The total energy as a function of volume is obtained by means of self-consistent tight binding linear muffin-tin-orbital (TB-LMTO) method within the local density approximation (LDA). It is found that NpBi is stable in NaCl – type structure under ambient pressure. We predict a structural phase transition from NaCl-type (B1-phase) sructure to CsCl-type (B2-phase) structure for NpBi in the pressure range of 11 GPa. We also calculate the lattice parameter (a0), bulk modulus (B0), band structure and density of states. From energy band diagram it is observed that NpBi exhibit metallic behaviour. The calculated equilibrium lattice parameters and bulk modulus are in general good agreement with available experimental data. Keywords: Structural phase transition; Electronic band structure; Metallic

Real-Time, Non-Intrusive Detection of Liquid Nitrogen in Liquid Oxygen at High Pressure and High Flow

An integrated fiber-optic Raman sensor has been designed for real-time, nonintrusive detection of liquid nitrogen in liquid oxygen (LOX) at high pressures and high flow rates in order to monitor the quality of LOX used during rocket engine ground testing. The integrated sensor employs a high-power (3-W) Melles Griot diode-pumped, solid-state (DPSS), frequency-doubled Nd:YAG 532- nm laser; a modified Raman probe that has built-in Raman signal filter optics; two high-resolution spectrometers; and photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) with selected bandpass filters to collect both N2 and O2 Raman signals. The PMT detection units are interfaced with National Instruments Lab- VIEW for fast data acquisition. Studies of sensor performance with different detection systems (i.e., spectrometer and PMT) were carried out. The concentration ratio of N2 and O2 can be inferred by comparing the intensities of the N2 and O2 Raman signals. The final system was fabricated to measure N2 and O2 gas mixtures as well as mixtures of liquid N2 and LO

Chalcogen Height Dependence of Magnetism and Fermiology in FeTe_xSe_{1-x}

FeTexSe1-x (x=0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1) system has been studied using density functional theory. Our results show that for FeSe, LDA seems better approximation in terms of magnitude of magnetic energy whereas GGA overestimates it largely. On the other hand for FeTe, GGA is better approximation that gives experimentally observed magnetic state. It has been shown that the height of chalcogen atoms above Fe layers has significant effect on band structure, electronic density of states (DOS) at Fermi level N(EF) and Fermi surfaces. For FeSe the value of N(EF) is small so as to satisfy Stoner criteria for ferromagnetism, (I\timesN(EF)\geq1) whereas for FeTe, since the value of N(EF) is large, the same is close to be satisfied. Force minimization done for FeTexSe1-x using supercell approach shows that in disordered system Se and Te do not share same site and have two distinct z coordinates. This has small effect on magnetic energy but no significant difference in band structure and DOS near EF when calculated using either relaxed or average value of z for chalcogen atoms. Thus substitution of Se at Te site decreases average value of chalcogen height above Fe layers which in turn affect the magnetism and Fermiology in the system. By using coherent-potential approximation for disordered system we found that height of chalcogen atoms above Fe layer rather than chalcogen species or disorder in the anion planes, affect magnetism and shape of Fermi surfaces (FS), thus significantly altering nesting conditions, which govern antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations in the system.Comment: 24 pages Text+Figs: comments/suggestions welcome ([email protected]

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Not AvailableSeed is recognized to be the cheapest source, yet most critical single input for enhancing vegetable productivity. Use of good quality seeds can result in 15–20% yield increase. The Indian vegetable seed sector is established with tremendous potential to grow beyond boundaries of domestic market. Being high value per unit weight, vegetable seed segment has a significant share in the overall seed market in monetary terms. Although the price of vegetable seeds in market is very high, farmers are facing problem of spurious seed, low germination percentage and unavailability of quality seeds on time. Research and development interventions are required to overcome these problems and an effort has been made to identify the priority areas where interventions are required in vegetable seed sector. This study was undertaken during 2014-16 by conducting a survey of vegetable and seed experts in which major constraints in vegetable seed sector were identified. The constraints are rank ordered as perceived by the respondents like exorbitantly high price of private sector hybrids (Score-680, Rank-1), unavailability of quality seeds of recommended/released hybrids and OP varieties of vegetables (Score-658, Rank-2) and many more which have been discussed and will draw attention on the issues related to the vegetable seed sector which needs priority in further research.Not Availabl

Fiber Optic Raman Sensor to Monitor Concentration Ratio of Nitrogen and Oxygen in a Cryogenic Mixture

A spontaneous Raman scattering optical fiber sensor is developed for a specific need of NASA/SSC for long-term detection and monitoring of the quality of liquid oxygen (LOX) in the delivery line during ground testing of rocket engines. The sensor performance was tested in the laboratory and with different excitation light sources. To evaluate the sensor performance with different excitation light sources for the LOX quality application, we have used the various mixtures of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen as samples. The study of the sensor performance shows that this sensor offers a great deal of flexibility and provides a cost effective solution for the application. However, an improved system response time is needed for the real-time, quantitative monitoring of the quality of cryogenic fluids in harsh environment

CLINICAL EVALUATION OF COMPARATIVE AND COMBINED EFFECT OF POLYHERBAL MICROBICIDE (BASANT) AND SELECTED PROBIOTICS IN THE TREATMENT OF RECCURRENT VAGINOSIS - A PHASE II PLACEBO CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background: Vaginosis is a widely prevalent syndrome in women. Treatment with one or more antibiotics cures invariably the infections. However recurrence is frequent and pH of the vagina is not always restored to the normal acidic range. This trial was conducted to determine whether a Polyherbal Microbicide BASANT or three selected strains of Probiotics Lactobacilli alone or the two in combination can regress Vaginosis, bring down the vaginal pH to acidic range and restore healthy vagina with colonised Lactobacilli.Methods: Women suffering from recurrent episodes of vaginosis were given capsules of either BASANT, Probiotics, Combination of the two or Placebo capsules for insertion in vagina for 7 nights. On day 10, Pelvic examination, pH, Whiff test, Gram stain for Clue cells and swab taken for culture of lactobacilli.Results: BASANT regressed Vaginosis in 14/ 20, Probiotics in 13/20, Combination of the two in 19/ 20 women and Placebo in 1/ 20 women.Conclusion: While both Polyherbal microbicide BASANT and the three strains of the lactobacilli cured Vaginosis in 65 to 70% of women, the combination was highly effective in curing 95% of women

Making of a unique birth control vaccine against hCG with additional potential of therapy of advanced stage cancers and prevention of obesity and insulin resistance

Reviewed is the work which led to the development of a unique vaccine that prevents pregnancy in sexually active women without impairment of ovulation and block of their making normally their sex steroid hormones. Being given that hCG is not expressed by non-pregnant females, immunization with the vaccine is devoid of any crossreaction with any tissue of the body. It is totally reversible and women regained fertility on decline of antibodies. A recombinant vaccine has been developed which is highly immunogenic in mice. It is undergoing extensive toxicology under GLP conditions in rodents and a primate species, the marmosets, before resumption of clinical trials. Ectopic expression of hCG or its subunits takes place in a variety of cancers, particularly at advanced stage with adverse survival and poor prognosis. Anti-hCG antibodies exercise therapeutic action against such cancers as indicated by in vitro culture and in vivo studies in nude mice. Transgenic hCG β mice put on weight and manifest insulin resistance. Immunization of these mice with the recombinant hCG β-LTB vaccine prevents obesity and insulin resistance.Fil: Talwar, G. P.. Talwar Research Foundation; IndiaFil: Rulli, Susana Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Vyas, Hemant. Harvard Medical School; Estados UnidosFil: Purswani, Shilpi. Talwar Research Foundation; IndiaFil: Kabeer, Rafi Shiraz. Talwar Research Foundation; IndiaFil: Chopra, Prem. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital; IndiaFil: Singh, Priyanka . Talwar Research Foundation; IndiaFil: Atrey, Nishu. Talwar Research Foundation; IndiaFil: Nand, Kripa. Talwar Research Foundation; IndiaFil: Gupta, Jagdish C.. Talwar Research Foundation; Indi