Effect of Liberalization on Institutional Agricultural Credit Flow and its Relationship with Average Cost of Cultivation in Indian Agriculture

This paper has examined (i) the nature and extent of inter-state disparities in per hectare flow of short-term institutional credit to agriculture, and (ii) its relationship with average cost of cultivation across states. It has covered all the six regions of the country comprising seventeen agriculturally most important states having about 96 per cent agricultural land in the country. It has revealed that inter-regional disparities in per hectare flow of institutional credit as measured through coefficient of variation (CV) had increased during the pre-liberalization period between 1980-81 and 1990-91. During the post-liberalization era (1991-92 to 2001-02), the inter-regional disparities have reduced. The per hectare institutional credit flow has shown that in most of the states across the country the coverage has increased though in different degrees during the post-liberalization stage over the pre-liberalization period. But, the coverage has still remained very low (below 20 per cent of cost of cultivation), except in the four states of southern region and Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in the northern region in 2001-02.Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Supplemental chromium-loaded chitosan nanoparticles affect growth, serum metabolites and intestinal histology in broilers

The goal of the present research was to evaluate the effects of chromium-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Cr-CNPs) on production performance, viscera development, serum metabolites and intestinal histology in broilers. Two hundred (200) day-old broilers were randomly divided into five groups with five replicates (n = 8). Birds in the first group served as control and were fed a corn soybean-based diet, while the remaining four supplemented groups were offered 200, 400, 800, and 1200 μg Cr-CNPs/kg of feed, respectively, for 35 days. Weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) remained unaffected with Cr-CNP supplementation. No changes were observed in the relative weights of viscera. The relative length of the small intestine was decreased in birds supplemented with 200 and 800 μg Cr-CNPs/kg compared with the 1200 μg Cr-CNP-supplemented group and control. Serum metabolites remained unaffected with Cr-CNP supplementation except for serum HDL, which was increased. Cr-CNPs decreased the retention of chromium in the bone at higher concentrations. Jejunal villus height, villus surface area, and villus height to crypt depth ratio were increased in the 800 μg Cr-CNP-supplemented group. In conclusion, Cr-CNPs did not affect growth performance, viscera development, and most of the serum metabolites, but enhanced jejunal morphological attributes at 800 μg Cr-CNPs/kg of feed. Keywords: blood biochemistry, health, nano-biotechnology, prebiotics, poultry, trace minera

Genetic variability of kernel provitamin-A in sub-tropically adapted maize hybrids possessing rare allele of β-carotene hydroxylase

Vitamin-A deficiency is a major health concern. Traditional yellow maize possesses low provitamin-A (proA). Mutant crtRB1 gene significantly enhances proA. 24 experimental hybrids possessing crtRB1 allele were evaluated for β-carotene (BC), β-cryptoxanthin (BCX), lutein (LUT), zeaxanthin (ZEA), total carotenoids (TC) and grain yield at multi-locations. BC (0.64–17.24 µg/g), BCX (0.45–6.84 µg/g), proA (0.86–20.46 µg/g), LUT (9.60–31.03 µg/g), ZEA (1.24–12.73 µg/g) and TC (20.60–64.02 µg/g) showed wide variation. No significant genotype × location interaction was observed for carotenoids. The mean BC (8.61 µg/g), BCX (4.04 µg/g) and proA (10.63 µg/g) in crtRB1-based hybrids was significantly higher than normal hybrids lacking crtRB1-favourable allele (BC: 1.73 µg/g, BCX: 1.29 µg/g and proA: 2.37 µg/g). Selected crtRB1-based hybrids possessed 33% BC and 40% BCX compared to 6% BC and 5% BCX in normal hybrids. BC showed positive correlation with BCX (r = 0.90), proA (r = 0.99) and TC (r = 0.64) among crtRB1-based hybrids. Carotenoids didn't show association with grain yield. Average yield potential of proA rich hybrids (6794 kg/ha) was at par with normal hybrids (6961 kg/ha). PROAH-13, PROAH-21, PROAH-17, PROAH-11, PROAH-23, PROAH-24 and PROAH-3 were the most promising with >12 µg/g proA and >6000 kg/ha grain yield. The newly identified crtRB1-based hybrids assume significance in alleviating malnutrition

A compact MIMO rectangular dielectric resonator antenna for millimeter-wave communication

A Rectangular Dielectric Resonator Antenna (RDRA) design for mmWave-frequency-band MIMO metrics is proposed, with a compact, low-complexity, high-gain structure that is easy to fabricate and offers reduced inter–port isolation. The RDRA operates in the mmWave spectrum, featuring a compact size of 1.307λ0 × 1.307λ0, an impedance bandwidth of 6%, and a resonant frequency of 28 GHz, with a peak gain of 7 dBi. A four element MIMO system iteration was developed while maintaining the performance of the single element antenna. Additionally, a simple, low-complexity slot-etching technique was applied to achieve an average inter-port element isolation of 14 dB. The design also achieved a novel four-beam petal-splitting radiation pattern. The MIMO metrics, with an envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) of <0.5 and a diversity gain (DG) < 10, were successfully met. The simulated and measured results are in good agreement

The epidemiology of suicide behaviors among the countries of the eastern Mediterranean region of WHO: A systematic review

This systematic review aimed to help better to understand the epidemiology of suicidal behaviors among Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries. The PubMed, EMR medex, Scopus, PsychInfo, ISI, and IMEMR were searched with no language limitation for papers on the epidemiology of suicidal behaviors in the general population, published up to August 2013. A total of 13 articles were reviewed. The incidence (per 100.000) of committed suicide ranged from 0.55 to 5.4. The lifelong prevalence of attempted suicide, suicidal plan and thoughts were 0.72-4.2, 6.2-6.7, and 2.9-14.1, respectively. The figures for suicide are higher than those officially reported. Suicide behaviors� statistics is susceptible to underestimation presumably due to the socio-cultural, religious and legal barriers, not to mention the lack of well-organized registries and methodologically sound community-based surveys. © 2015 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Evaluating public involvement in research design and grant development: Using a qualitative document analysis method to analyse an award scheme for researchers

Background A regional Research Design Service, funded by the National Institute for Health Research, introduced a small grant in 2008, to support public involvement (often known as patient and public involvement [PPI]) activities during the development of applications for research funding. Successful applicants are requested to submit a report detailing how the grant money was used, including a description of the aims and outcomes of the public involvement activities. The purpose of this study was to analyse the content of these reports. We aimed to find out what researcher views and experiences of public involvement activities were, and what lessons might be learned. Methods We used an innovative method of data analysis, drawing on group participatory approaches, qualitative content analysis, and Framework Analysis to sort and label the content of the reports. We developed a framework of categories and sub-categories (or themes and sub-themes) from this process. Results Twenty five documents were analysed. Four main themes were identified in the data: the added value of public involvement; planning and designing involvement; the role of public members; and valuing public member contributions. Within these themes, sub-themes related to the timing of involvement (prior to the research study/intended during the research study), and also specific benefits of public involvement such as: validating ideas; ensuring appropriate outcomes; ensuring the acceptability of data collection methods/tools and advice regarding research processes. Other sub-themes related to: finding and approaching public members; timing of events; training/support; the format of sessions; setting up public involvement panels: use of public contributors in analysis and interpretation of data; and using public members to assist with dissemination and translation into practice. Conclusions The analysis of reports submitted by researchers following involvement events provides evidence of the value of public involvement during the development of applications for research funding, and details a method for involving members of the public in data analysis which could be of value to other researchers The findings of the analysis indicate recognition amongst researchers of the variety in potential roles for public members in research, and also an acknowledgement of how involvement adds value to studies

Insight into the structural and optoelectronic properties Of e-beam evaporated nanostructured tio2 thin films Annealed in air

About 480 nm thick titanium oxide (TiO2) thin films have been deposited by electron beam evaporation followed by annealing in air at 300—600oC with a step of 100oC for a period of two hours. Optical, electrical and structural properties are studied as a function of annealing temperature. All the films are crystalline (having tetragonal anatase structure) with small amount of amorphous phase. Crystallinity of the films improves with annealing at elevated temperatures. XRD and FESEM results suggest that the films are composed of nanoparticles of 25-35 nm. Raman analysis and optical measurements suggest quantum confinement effects since Raman peaks of the as-deposited films are blue-shifted as compared to those for bulk TiO2. Optical band gap energy of the asdeposited TiO2 film is 3.21 eV, which decreases to about 3.06 eV after annealing at 600 oC. Refractive index of the as-deposited TiO2 film is 2.26, which increases to about 2.32 after annealing at 600 oC. However the films annealed at 500 oC represent peculiar behavior as its band gap increases to highest value of 3.24 eV whereas refractive index, RMS roughness and dc-resistance illustrate a drop as compared to all other films. Illumination to sunlight decreases the dc-resistance of the as-deposited and annealed films as compared to dark measurements possibly due to charge carrier enhancement by photon absorption