A PILOT STUDY ON MANAGEMENT OF MADHUMEGAM (DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE-II) AT NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SIDDHA, CHENNAI-47.

    To rule out which of the combination of drug is the most beneficial for the patient to manage Madhumegam(Diabetes-Type-2). Some of them are taking only siddha medicines, and some of them are taking siddha medicines combined with allopathic medicines. So we have planned to do a pilot study on the management of Madhumegam patients in NIS as a Retrospective study.Data collection for assessment has been done by retrieving from the individuals' OPD records and using questionnaire method, at the time of OPD treatment at NIS. Data for 105 Madhumegam patients were collected  and taken up for the study.The statistical analysis reveals that the reduction of blood sugar for(siddha only) Group I at fasting was statistically significant(P<0.0001) and Group-II(siddha and allopathy) it was not significant(P=0.73).  The statistical analysis reveals that the reduction of blood sugar for(siddha only) Group I at postprandial was statistically significant(P<0.0001) and Group-II(siddha and allopathy) it was not significant(P=0.55). The stability of sugar level is seen in siddha group, but a marked deviation is in the combined group. The siddha medicine alone treated group (Group I) shows significant reduction of blood sugar both at fasting and post prandial. The siddha and allopathy treated group(Group II) has not shown significant reduction.Key words: Madhumegam, siddha,diabetes,allopathy, Retrospective, blood sugar

Fattening of mud crab: an approach of aquasilviculture in Andaman Islands

During September - December 2004, mud crab fattening was attempted in tide-fed earthen ponds in Lakshmipur (North Andaman) and Bamboo Tickri (Middle Andaman) with mangroves such as Rhizophora mucronata, R. apiculata and Avicennia marina, covering 60 to 80% of the total pond area. Water crabs of Scylla tranquebarica, S. olivacea and S. serrata, each weighing 500 - 1500 g were stocked in the pond at a density of 0.5 kg/m2 with suitable hideouts to reduce cannibalism. In 30 to 35 days, 85% survival was obtained with 8% weight increment. This paper outlines the measures that may be adopted for practicing aquaculture in mangroves

Assessment of post tsunami coral reef resource in Pongi Balu coast, south Andaman Islands

In the present study, an assessment of the status of coral reefs along the Pongi Balu coast, south Andaman Islands, which is a part of the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, has been made by scuba diving, low draft glass-bottom boat and visual interpretation in some places during low-tide condition. The coral reef boundaries have been accurately determined with the help of a low draft glass-bottom boat fitted with a real time kinematics global positioning system, and the existing coral reefs map of the area has been updated using the geographic information system technique. A total of 161.6 ha of previously existed live coral reefs were surveyed along the Pongi Balu coast and out of that ‘live coral’ was found over 81.4 ha and ‘dead coral’ was found over 60.6 ha whereas 19.6 ha area was found to have been lost from the existing coral reefs and categorized as ‘no coral’. The study highlights a few natural and anthropogenic factors affecting the existing coral reefs and hindering the re-establishment of coral reefs in the study area

Fishery resources of spiny lobsters in the Andaman Island, India

The Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands is the largest archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. In spite of availability of diverse lobster resources, there is no organised lobster fishing in the Islands. The main objective of the study was to collect baseline data on the lobster resources of the Andaman Island. Periodic field surveys were carried out at 33 landing centres in the Andaman and data were collected by direct observation and questionnaires. Mechanised and non-mechanised fishing crafts are engaged in lobster fishing in the Island. Lobsters are manually caught by spears, gillnet, shoreseine and handpicking. Six commercially important species of spiny lobsters, Panulirus penicillatus, P. versicolor, P. homarus, P. ornatus, P. polyphagus and P. longipes are present in the island. Among them, P. penicillatus dominated the landings throughout the study period (1999-2000), with maximum catch in January, followed by P. versicolor. The total lobster landings in Andaman during the study period were estimated as 3.16 tonnes with maximum landings in south Andaman (Port Blair)

CMFRI Marine Fisheries Policy Series No.17; Draft National Mariculture Policy 2019 (NMP2019) Report of the Committee constituted by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Govt. of India. [Report of the Committee constituted by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Govt. of India]

The goal of the National Mariculture Policy 2019 (NMP 2019) is to ensure sustainable farmed seafood production for the benefit of food and nutritional security of the Nation and to provide additional livelihood and entrepreneurial opportunities to the coastal communities for a better living. The overall strategy of NMP is to increase seafood production in a sustainable and responsible manner, ensure socio-economic development, enhance food, health and nutritional security and safeguard gender, social equity and environment

Gene Expression Changes Related to Endocrine Function and Decline in Reproduction in Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) after Dietary Methylmercury Exposure

BACKGROUND: Methylmercury (MeHg) is a known neurotoxic agent, but the mechanisms by which MeHg may act on reproductive pathways are relatively unknown. Several studies have indicated potential changes in hormone levels as well as declines in vertebrates with increasing dietary MeHg exposure. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify alterations in gene expression associated with MeHg exposure, specifically those associated with previously observed changes in reproduction and reproductive biomarkers. Fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, were fed one of three diets that were similar to documented concentrations of MeHg in the diets of wild invertivorous and piscivorous fish. We used a commercial macroarray in conjunction with quantitative polymerase chain reaction to examine gene expression in fish in relation to exposure to these environmentally relevant doses of MeHg. RESULTS: Expression of genes commonly associated with endocrine disruption was altered with Hg exposure. Specifically, we observed a marked up-regulation in vitellogenin mRNA in individual Hg-exposed males and a significant decline in vitellogenin gene expression in female fish with increasing Hg concentrations. Other genes identified by the macroarray experiment included those associated with egg fertilization and development, sugar metabolism, apoptosis, and electron transport. We also observed differences in expression patterns between male and female fish not related to genes specifically associated with reproduction, indicating a potential physiological difference in the reaction of males and females to MeHg. CONCLUSION: Gene expression data may provide insight into the mechanisms by which MeHg affects reproduction in fish and indicate how MeHg differs in its effect from other heavy metals and endocrine-disrupting compounds

Studies on the antifungal and serotonin receptor agonist activities of the secondary metabolites from piezotolerant deep-sea fungus Ascotricha sp.

The potent antifungal agent sesquiterpenes and serotonin 5-HT2C agonist ascotricin were produced by a newly isolated deep-sea fungus Ascotricha sp. This fungus was isolated from deep-sea sediment collected at a depth of 1235 m and characterized. Piezotolerance was successfully tested under high pressure-low temperature (100 bar pressure and 20ºC) microbial cultivation system. Production of secondary metabolites was enhanced at optimized culture conditions. The in-vivo antifungal activity of sesquiterpenes was studied using the Caenorhabditis elegans – Candida albicans model system. The sesquiterpenes affected the virulence of C. albicans and prolonged the life of the host C. elegans. These findings suggest that sesquiterpenes are attractive antifungal drug candidates. The 5-HT2C receptor agonist is a potential target for the development of drugs for a range of central nervous system disorders. The interaction of 5-HT2C agonist ascotricin with the receptor was studied through bioinformatic analysis. The in silico molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies demonstrated that they fit into the serotonin 5-HT2C active site and the crucial amino acid residues involved in the interactions were identified. To our knowledge, this is first report of in vivo antifungal analysis of sesquiterpenes and in silico studies of serotonin 5-HT2C receptor-ascotricin complex

Not Available

Not AvailableIn the present study, an assessment of the status of coral reefs along the Pongi Balu coast, south Andaman Islands, which is a part of the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, has been made by scuba diving, low draft glass-bottom boat and visual interpretation in some places during low-tide condition. The coral reef boundaries have been accurately determined with the help of a low draft glass-bottom boat fitted with a real time kinematics global positioning system, and the existing coral reefs map of the area has been updated using the geographic information system technique. A total of 161.6 ha of previously existed live coral reefs were surveyed along the Pongi Balu coast and out of that ‘live coral’ was found over 81.4 ha and ‘dead coral’ was found over 60.6 ha whereas 19.6 ha area was found to have been lost from the existing coral reefs and categorized as ‘no coral’. The study highlights a few natural and anthropogenic factors affecting the existing coral reefs and hindering the re-establishment of coral reefs in the study area.Not Availabl