Cobia Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766)

Cobia is a high-value marine migratory pelagic finfish, distributed worldwide in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate waters. Considered an important fish for mariculture

Silver Pompano Trachinotus blochii (Lacépède, 1801)

Silver pompano is a commercially important high priced marine finfish, widely distributed in the East and West Coasts of India, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It forms an important candidate for cage aquaculture

Association of Breakfast Intake with Obesity, Dietary and Physical Activity Behavior Among Urban School-Aged Adolescents in Delhi, India: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study

In developed countries, regular breakfast consumption is inversely associated with excess weight and directly associated with better dietary and improved physical activity behaviors. Our objective was to describe the frequency of breakfast consumption among school-going adolescents in Delhi and evaluate its association with overweight and obesity as well as other dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors. Methods: Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Eight schools (Private and Government) of Delhi in the year 2006. Participants: 1814 students from 8th and 10th grades; response rate was 87.2%; 55% were 8th graders, 60% were boys and 52% attended Private schools. Main outcome measures: Body mass index, self-reported breakfast consumption, diet and physical activity related behaviors, and psychosocial factors. Data analysis: Mixed effects regression models were employed, adjusting for age, gender, grade level and school type (SES). Results: Significantly more Government school (lower SES) students consumed breakfast daily as compared to Private school (higher SES) students (73.8% vs. 66.3%; p<0.01). More 8th graders consumed breakfast daily vs. 10th graders (72.3% vs. 67.0%; p<0.05). A dose-response relationship was observed such that overall prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents who consumed breakfast daily (14.6%) was significantly lower vs. those who only sometimes (15.2%) or never (22.9%) consumed breakfast (p<0.05 for trend). This relationship was statistically significant for boys (15.4 % vs. 16.5% vs. 26.0; p<0.05 for trend) but not for girls. Intake of dairy products, fruits and vegetables was 5.5 (95% CI 2.4-12.5), 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.5) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.3-3.5) times higher among those who consumed breakfast daily vs. those who never consumed breakfast. Breakfast consumption was associated with greater physical activity vs. those who never consumed breakfast. Positive values and beliefs about healthy eating; body image satisfaction; and positive peer and parental influence were positively associated with daily breakfast consumption, while depression was negatively associated. Conclusion: Daily breakfast consumption is associated with less overweight and obesity and with healthier dietary-and physical activity-related behaviors among urban Indian students. Although prospective studies should confirm the present results, intervention programs to prevent or treat childhood obesity in India should consider emphasizing regular breakfast consumption.Obesity Prevention Center, University of MinnesotaPRIME program of the University of Texas, School of Public Health (Stigler, PI)Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research in Underserved Population

THE ASEAN-5 FUTURE CURRENCY: MAASTRICHT CRITERIA

In this recent decade, many of the economists and policymakers attempted to investigate the suitability of the East Asian region to form a currency union and based on the European countries experience as a benchmark. This study aims to investigate the long-run real convergence in GDP per capita growth among Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, over 1978 to 2004. The Dickey-Fuller (DF) and Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) unit root tests were conducted at first difference of GDP per capita for each country; the results demonstrated that all countries GDP per capita are stationary at first difference. The results of the Bound Testing Approach (Auto-Regression Distributed Lag (ARDL)) indicated that there is a long run relationship between variables in the Maastricht Criteria. The results showed that interest rate, inflation rate and the debt ratio experience that negative relationship to the GDP per capita. However, the exchange rate and surplus (or deficit) ratio shown the positive related to the GDP per capita. Therefore, the findings showed the ASEAN 5 countries have fulfilled the Maastricht Criteria with consistent to expected sign(s) except for Singapore’ exchange rate and Indonesia’s debt ratio. Hence, those ASEAN 5 countries in this study have potential to form a single currency.Monetary Union (MU), Bound Test (ARDL), Maastricht Criteria, Single Currency

Broodstock development, breeding and larval rearing of cobia and pompano

Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) and silver pompano (Trachinotus blochii) are two marine finfish species with very high potential for aquaculture in India. Fast growth rate, adaptability for captive breeding, low cost of production, good meat quality and high market demand especially for sashimi industry are some of the attributes that make cobia an excellent species for aquaculture. In recent years the seed production and farming of cobia is rapidly gaining momentum in many Asian countries. Similarly, pompano is having fast growth rate, good meat quality and high market demand. Envisaging the prospects of cobia and pompano farming in India, broodstock development was initiated at the Mandapam Regional Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in sea cages during 2008 and the first successful induced breeding and seed production was achieved for cobia in March – April 2010 and for pompano during July 2011

Green Tiger Prawn Penaeus semisulcatus (De Haan, 1844)

Green tiger prawn is a commercially important penaeid shrimp species, dominant in the coastal waters of Tamil Nadu. Grows to 230 mm and 270 mm in TL in case of males and females, respectively

Knowledge and achievement motivation of marine fishers : A case of alternate livelihood options in Tamilnadu

In recent past, farming of marine fishes is being encouraged among the marine fishers to supplement the household income from capture fisheries, because the fish catch is declining. The study on extent of knowledge and achievement motivation of marine fishers’ adopting alternate livelihood options like sea cage farming, seaweed farming and ornamental fish culture was conducted in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu since many marine fisheries related activities are being undertaken in larger scale in comparison to other coastal districts. Overall analyses on level of achievement motivation reveal that majority of respondents who are adopting the alternate livelihood options are having medium to high level of achievement motivation. All the farming options have to be undertaken in the sea, which is a common property and it demands a common consensus in a particular village or region for taking up an activity in a desirable and profitable way. Hence, the need for personal achievement was present in majority of fishers, followed by personal achievement oriented influence and need for social achievement. The study found that fishers were able to perform better in the knowledge test since they gained adequate knowledge on all the alternate livelihood options