101 research outputs found
Prospects of Grouper Culture in India
The "Groupers" of the genus Epinephelus are excellent marine food fishes in the Indo Pacific and Carribean regions and have assumed importance for commercial culture in recent year
Frequent strandings of dolphins and whales along the gulf of Mannar coast
The present observations no specific reason could be attributed towards the frequent strandlngs of marine mammals in the Gulf of Meinnar region. It Is inferred that any one factor as given above or more would have
contributed towards the strandlngs. As the Indian Ocean is declared as a sanctuary for whales,the frequent stranding of whales eind dolphins emphasise the need for Intensive study on conservation measures. The scientific Information on the extent of strandlngs of marine mammals all along the coast needs consolidation
Nemipterus delagoae Smith (Nemipteridae: Pisces) A new record from the Indian seas
The occurrence of Nemipterus delagoae Smith is reported here for the first
time from the Indian seas based on one specimen 231 mm total length, collected
from 40-m depth at 9┬░35'N 76┬░05'E along the southwest coast of India, The species
is described and illustrated
Exogenous Agmatine Has Neuroprotective Effects Against Restraint-Induced Structural Changes in the Rat Brain
Agmatine is an endogenous amine derived from decarboxylation of arginine catalysed by arginine decarboxylase. Agmatine is considered a novel neuromodulator and possesses neuroprotective properties in the central nervous system. The present study examined whether agmatine has neuroprotective effects against repeated restraint stress-induced morphological changes in rat medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 6 h of restraint stress daily for 21 days. Immunohistochemical staining with ╬▓-tubulin III showed that repeated restraint stress caused marked morphological alterations in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Stress-induced alterations were prevented by simultaneous treatment with agmatine (50 mg/kg/day, i.p.). Interestingly, endogenous agmatine levels, as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus as well as in the striatum and hypothalamus of repeated restraint rats were significantly reduced as compared with the controls. Reduced endogenous agmatine levels in repeated restraint animals were accompanied by a significant increase of arginine decarboxylase protein levels in the same regions. Moreover, administration of exogenous agmatine to restrained rats abolished increases of arginine decarboxylase protein levels. Taken together, these results demonstrate that exogenously administered agmatine has neuroprotective effects against repeated restraint-induced structural changes in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. These findings indicate that stress-induced reductions in endogenous agmatine levels in the rat brain may play a permissive role in neuronal pathology induced by repeated restraint stress
Hypotheses on the mudbanks
The report gives a critical appraisal of the various
hypotheses on the formation and the characteristic calmness
of the mudbanks, in the light of the author's findings, with
special reference to the Alleppey mudbank. A detailed
account on various types of mudbanks along the southwest
coast of India is also presented
Ecology of mudbanks - Hydrography
я╗┐The variations in physical and chemical
parameters of the Alleppey mudbank waters are
discussed in this paper. The fluctuations in tem
perature, salinity, oxygen and the comparatively
high nutrient contents of the mudbank waters
are highlighted
Diurnal variations in the distribution of zooplankton in relation to currents and other ecological parameters of the mud bank of Alleppey, Kerala
Diurnal variations in the distribution of zooplankton biomass of the mud bank at purakkad-Thottappally region south of Alleppey, Kerala h ave been investigated during May and August, 1975. Along with this, observations on currents, hydrography and phytoplankton productivity were also carried out and their effects upon the zooplankton of the mud bank region were studie
Ecology of mudbanks - The current system at Alleppey mudbank
я╗┐The knowledge of the water currents in the locality
being essential for understanding the causes of forma
tion, maintenance, movement and dissipation of
mudbanks, the current system over two tidal cycles,
one in May, before the formation, and the other in
August, toward the end of the mudbank period, in
1975, at Alleppey mudbank was studied. Marked
difference in the direction and velocity of the
current was noticed between the two occasions. In
May the effect of the tides was not noticeable on the
direction of the current, which was southerly,
whereas in August, though the major current con
tinued to be southerly, the speed was considerably
reduced due to tidal influence. Introducing thereby
a northerly component. Along with the current
observations, the diurnal changes in the hydrologica!
and biological aspects observed in the mudbank are
reported
Source of mud at Alleppey mudbanks: Its distribution and physical and chemical characteristics
я╗┐The chapter embodies the authors' findings, and the
logical conclusions they drew from them, on the mud cones
(or 'mud volcanoes') they found In the intertidal zone and
on the beach of the Alleppey mudbank region in 1972. Their
experiment with regard to these mud cones confirm beyond
doubt the viscous nature of the mud that underlies at
Allepey, and its being, for all probability, the source of
Alleppey mudbank.
Similar mud cones observed earlier by some workers
are also discussed briefly
Mud of the mudbank: Its distribution and physical and chemical characteristics
Description of the texture, grain size, thickness
and chemical properties, including mineralogical-
studies, of the mud in the mudbanks is given. An
echosurvey conducted in the mudbank revealed
the pattern of distribution of mud and the extent
of the area of the mudbank, which would provide
answers to problems connected with the formation
of the mudbank and the associated calmness
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