Rice GIs of Kerala: Gap in Desired and Achieved Outcomes

83-91Case studies on Geographical Indications (GIs) prove that that it is essential to include a quality assurance clause within the legal framework of GIs, if the benefits of registration are to be accrued to the farming community. The potential positive impact of the GI for stake holders can be initiated through a strong institutional context and well organised supply chain. Support from governmental agencies is essential in this regard to build up effective promotional strategies to promote the product and its intrinsic qualities across markets. The paper analyses the performance of rice GIs of Kerala, initiatives put after the registration, the gaps between desired and achieved outcomes of the policy initiatives and the bottlenecks of the implementation of the innovation. The studies analysed recommend that revival of the producer society is essential in order to take collective decisions on defining the production limits, agreeing up on code of conduct, identifying indicators of quality, and building up strategies for marketing and consumer orientation

Factors Associated with Physician Agreement and Coding Choices of Cause of Death Using Verbal Autopsies for 1130 Maternal Deaths in India

The Indian Sample Registration System (SRS) with verbal autopsy methods provides estimations of cause specific mortality for maternal deaths, where the majority of deaths occur at home, unregistered. We aim to examine factors that influence physician agreement and coding choices in assigning causes of death from verbal autopsies.Among adult deaths identified in the SRS, pregnancy-related deaths recorded in 2001-2003 were assigned ICD-10 codes by two independent physicians. Inter-rater reliability was estimated using Landis Koch Kappa classification ≤0.4--poor to fair agreement; >0.4 ≤0.6--moderate agreement; >0.6 ≤0.8--substantial agreement; >8--high agreement. We identified factors associated with physician agreement using multivariate logistic regression. A central consensus panel reviewed cases for errors and reclassified as needed based on 2011 ICD-10 coding guidelines. Of 1130 pregnancy-related deaths, 1040 were assigned ICD-10 codes by two physicians. We found substantial agreement regardless of the woman's residence, whether the death was registered, religion, respondent's or deceased's education, age, hospital admission or gestational age. Physician agreement was not influenced by the above variables, with the exception of greater agreement in cases where the respondent did not live with the deceased, or early gestational age at the time of death. A central consensus panel reviewed all cases and recoded 10% of cases due to insufficient use of information in the verbal autopsy by the coding physicians and rationale for this reclassification are discussed.In the absence of complete vital registration and universal healthcare services, physician coded verbal autopsies continues to be heavily relied upon to ascertain pregnancy-related death. From this study, two independent physicians had good inter-rater reliability for assigning pregnancy-related causes of death in a nationally-represented sample, and physician coding does not appear to be heavily influenced by case characteristics or demographics

Capturing the Context of Maternal Deaths from Verbal Autopsies: A Reliability Study of the Maternal Data Extraction Tool (M-DET)

BACKGROUND: The availability of quality data to inform policy is essential to reduce maternal deaths. To characterize maternal deaths in settings without complete vital registration systems, we designed and assessed the inter-rater reliability of a tool to systematically extract data and characterize the events that precede a nationally representative sample of maternal deaths in India. METHOD/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Of 1017 nationally representative pregnancy-related deaths, which occurred between 2001 and 2003, we randomly selected 105 reports. Two independent coders used the maternal data extraction tool (questions with coding guidelines) to collect information on antenatal care access, final pregnancy outcome; planned place of birth and care provider; community consultation, transport, admission, hospital referral; and verification of cause of death assignment. Kappa estimated inter-rater agreement was calculated and classified as poor (K≤0.4), moderate (K = 0.4≤0.6), substantial (K = 0.6≤ 0.8) and high (K>0.8) using the criteria from Landis & Koch. The data extraction tool had high agreement for gestational age, pregnancy outcome, transport, death en route and admission to hospital; substantial agreement for receipt of antenatal care, planned place of birth, readmission and referral to higher level hospital, and whether or not death occurred in the intrapartum period; moderate to substantial agreement for classification of deaths as direct or indirect obstetric deaths or incidental deaths; moderate agreement for classification of community healthcare consultation and total number of healthcare contacts; and poor agreement for the classification of deaths as sudden deaths and other/unknown cause of death. The ability of the tool to identify the most-responsible-person in labour varied from moderate agreement to high agreement. CONCLUSIONS: This data extraction tool achieved good inter-rater reliability and can be used to collect data on events surrounding maternal deaths and for verification/improvement of underlying cause of death

Histopathology of the gill of Lutjanus russelli infected with Learnanthropus species (Copepoda: Anthosomatidae)

Abstract Histopathologic changes caused by copepods in the gills of Lutjanus russelli were studied. For histological sections, samples were stained by haematoxylin, eosin and mounted permanently in Canada balsam. Microphotographs of selected portions were prepared in support of the damage caused by the parasites. The histopathologic changes caused by the Learnanthropus species (Copepoda: Anthosomatidae) include several destruction and necrotic changes in gill filaments and secondary lamellae were recorded and the results were analysed

Computational investigation of cobalt and copper bis (oxothiolene) complexes as an alternative for olefin purification

Considering that olefins present a large volume feedstock, it is reasonable to expect that their purification is industrially critical. After the discovery of the nickel bis (dithiolene) complex Ni(S2C2(CF3)2)2 that exhibits electro-catalytic activity with olefins but tends to decompose by a competitive reaction route, related complexes have been explored experimentally and theoretically. In this paper, a computational examination is performed on differently charged cobalt and copper bis (oxothiolene) complexes [M (OSC2(CN)2)2] to test their potential applicability as the catalysts for olefin purification, using the simplest olefin, ethylene. Possible reaction pathways for ethylene addition on these complexes were explored, to determine whether some of these candidates can avoid the reaction route that leads to decomposition, which is distinctive from the nickel complex, and to form stable adducts that can subsequently release ethylene by reduction. Our calculations suggest that the neutral cobalt complex might be an alternative catalyst, because all its forms can bind ethylene to produce stable interligand adducts with moderate to low activation barriers, rather than to form intraligand adducts that lead to decomposition. The calculations also predict that these interligand adducts are capable of releasing ethylene upon reduction. In addition, it can produce the desired interligand adducts following two different reaction pathways, assigned as the direct and the indirect, with no need for anion species as co-catalysts, which is crucial for the nickel complex. Thus, the olefin purification process could be much simpler by using this catalyst

Diversity and distribution of jellyfish along the Odisha coast - First aid measures of jellyfish stings

Diversity and distribution of jellyfish along the Odisha coast - First aid measures of jellyfish sting

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

Specific crosslinking effects of poly(epichlorohydrin)-triol on urethane polymer matrix of castor seed oil-based coatings

The contributions of castor seed oil (CSO) as a useful, nontoxic, and sustainable base material for coating systems cannot be overemphasized. This paper took advantage of the predominant fatty acid composition in CSO (i.e., ricinoleic acid). It blended a synthesized crosslinker, poly(epichlorohydrin-triol) (PECH-triol), in percentages within its polymeric matrix. Physicochemical and spectroscopic (FTIR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR) examinations were carried out on the polyols. Thermal stability, hydrophobicity, anticorrosion, mechanical, and antibacterial properties of the prepared polyurethane (PU) coatings were examined. The 20% PECH-triol–CSO-PU film having its TON and TEND at 230.5 and 511.0°C, respectively, showed improved thermal stability when compared with the pristine film (CSO-PU). The derivative of TGA reveals a three-stage degradation step. Hydrophobicity was seen to increase from 73.3° to 92.2°, a reflection of the crosslinking effect of PECH-triol within the urethane matrix. The improved adhesion of 20% PECH-triol–CSO-PU coating on mild steel gave a better chemical resistance

Adoption of ingenious fishing method to augment fish catch in coastal karnataka

Gillnets are one of the important gears contributing to the marine fish landings of Karnataka. A variety of gillnets (drift, bottom set, encircling and entangling), are deployed in the fishery. The smaller monofilament gears are operated by small non-motorized and motorized crafts. The larger polyamide high-density polyethylene nets are operated from large mechanized crafts. The use of large meshed knotted monofilament gillnets deployed from mechanized trawlers is a novel introduction and has enabled fishers to operate over submerged banks, rocky patches and reefs