Genetic Polymorphism in the Serotonin Transporter Promoter Region and Ecological Success in Macaques

A well-characterised sequence length polymorphism in the serotonin transporter promoter region (5-HTTLPR) influences individual behavioural traits and cognitive abilities in humans and rhesus macaques. Macaques have been classified into four continuous grades on the basis of their behavioural attributes, ranging from highly hierarchical and nepotistic species to the most egalitarian and tolerant ones. A comparative study of several species that spanned these grades revealed only rhesus macaques to be polymorphic at the 5-HTTLPR and concluded that the polymorphism was responsible for their despotic and aggressive behaviour (Wendland et al., Behav Genet 36:163–172, 2006). We studied wild populations of three other species and found that the egalitarian and tolerant bonnet and Arunachal macaques are also polymorphic while liontailed macaques, although belonging to the same group, are monomorphic. We thus reject a role for this particular polymorphism in interspecific behavioural variability and show that polymorphic species enjoy greater ecological success possibly due to their higher intraspecific variability in individual behavioural traits

Prevalence of Ectoparasitic Infestation in Indian Major Carps During Winter at Different Blocks of South 24-Parganas District, West Bengal, India

The study was carried out to find the prevalence of ectoparasites in carp species specifically Indian Major Carps (IMC) during the post monsoon season (November’16 to March’17). Four groups of ectoparasites viz. myxozoan, ciliophoran, monogenean and crustacean were recorded from a total 500 number of  carp species like, Labeo rohita, Catla catla, Cirrhinus mrigala and Labeo calbasu collected from different ponds of selected blocks of South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal. The highest prevalence (64.8%) of infestation had been recorded by Myxozoans and the lowest was by Monogeneans (4.8%). The highest and lowest ectoparasitic prevalence in carp was observed in L. rohita (32.9%) and C. catla (27.3%). Beside these, lower temperature (Average 19.3oC), low pH (Average 6.9) and marginal level of dissolved oxygen (Average 6.0ppm) were also created an unfavorable condition for parasitic infestation during this season. At the end of this experiment it was concluded that disease occurrences due to ectoparasites was high in winter with some key factors like temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO)

Parasitic Study of Indian Major Carp Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822) in Selected Districts of West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT The present work was conducted to isolate and identify different parasites from Indian Major Carp (IMC) Catla catla. During the study period the severity of infection and Parasitic Frequency Index (PFI, %) were also estimated in terms of months, seasons and length groups of fishes. For the investigative purpose different districts of West Bengal were selected considering the potential of fishery resources. Approximately 300 fishes were observed during the entire period of observation. The parasite infested fishes were found to suffer mainly from respiratory manifestations, blackness of the skin and mortalities. The isolated parasites were Myxobolus, Thelohanellus, Trichodina, Dactylogyrus, Gyrodactylus, Nematodes, Argulus, Lernea and Chilodonella species. Besides these, developmental stages of different parasites were also found. Among these parasites Myxobolus, Dactylogyrus and Gyrodactylus showed the highest prevalence in winter. Remaining all parasites was found to be more during spring season. The 1-30 cm length group fishes were found to be more infested with the parasites compare to 30.5-40 cm length groups. Key words: Catla catla, Parasitic study, PFI, Months, Seasons, Length groups. Corresponding Author: Biraj B Sharma INTRODUCTION Freshwater aquaculture mainly depends on carp culture practices that account 80% of total inland fish production and have proved sustainability at different levels of production over the years. Though the country possesses a large number of potential cultivable carp species, it is only the three Indian Major Carp i.e. catla (Catla catla), rohu (Labeo rohita) and mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala), that contribute a lion's share with production of over two million tonnes. West Bengal being a 'rice-fish society', the State is highly significant historically, geographically and strategically since long past. The state has 37% of pond resources in India of which 70% are utilized for fish culture producing 1 to 3 million tonnes of freshwater finfish per year of the total 2.76 lakh hectares of impounded water area, about 70-79% is presently under fish culture

Human Health Risk from Hexachlorocyclohexane and Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane Pesticides, through Consumption of Vegetables: Estimation of Daily Intake and Hazard Quotients

People are encouraged to consume more fresh vegetables due to the high nutritional value and fibre contents in vegetables. At the same time, due to pesticidal residue in vegetables, vegetable consumption is considered as an important route of pesticides uptake by human beings. Pesticides, particularly organochlorines such as Aldrin, heptachlor and isomers of dichlorodiphe - nyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) are a major concern because of their persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity, and long-range environmental transport ability. Hence information on such toxic contaminants in vegetables is very essential, due to human health concern. In order to assess the potential health risks associated with vegetable consumption due to pesticidal residues of DDT and HCH, sixty four samples of commonly available vegetables were collected from a local market in West Bengal, India and analysed for DDT and HCH. In this study, estimated average daily intake of HCHs and DDTs through vegetables was ranged between 5.0x10–8–9.1x10–6 mg kg–1 day–1 with an average value of 2.0x10–6 mg kg–1 day–1. Human health risk was assessed in terms of incremental lifetime cancer risk and health hazard index was between 1.7x10–8–8.8x10–6 and 1.5x10–7– 1.7x10–2, respectively. Generated results were compared with maximum residual levels and reference values, were within acceptable limits and suggested no health risk to the human populations. Therefore, an extensive study on vegetables with the inclusion of other persistent organic pollutants and toxic metals should be carried out to know the overall scenario of contamination of vegetables

Variation of γ-Ray and Particle Fluxes At the Sea Level During the Total Solar Eclipse of 24 October, 1995

A Total Solar Eclipse (TSE) was observed from Diamond Harbour (lat. 22.2°N, long 88.2°E) on 24 October 1995. The variation of γ-ray intensity was measured in the energy range of 0.3–3.0 MeV for different time spans throughout the period of the eclipse. A CR-39 detector was used to look at the change in the fluxes of neutral and charged particles. The maximum drop (∼ 25%) in the intensity of γ-ray was observed in the range 2.5–3 MeV during TSE. The CR-39 results showed the appearance of a good number of tracks and a small variation of proton and neutron flux of ≤ 10% which was not significant statistically. Low energy γ-ray fluxes at sea level originate from the secondary electron-photon components of cosmic rays in the atmosphere; its modulation by TSE is interpreted as follows. The cooling of the atmosphere in the path of the umbra induces a reduction of the height of the main production layer of the nuclear component, as a result of which, fewer µ± mesons (from the decay of theπ± mesons) decay to e±. This leads to a small reduction in the flux of electron-photon component at sea level which originates from this branch; the main branch of e - γ component from π0 decay remains nearly unaffected. As the total mass of air remains the same, little or no change in the slow proton or the neutron flux at sea level is expected. These are consistent with the present observations. For a better understanding, further studies of this new phenomenon during future TSE are suggested