An Experimental Study on Mesh-and-Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites

Development of new composite materials which reduces the large consumption of natural resources is an approach towards sustainability. This study is an attempt to explore the possibility of adding polyolefin fibers (PL-F) in steel mesh reinforced cementitious composites (SMRCC) and conduct low velocity impact tests. For this purpose, test specimens of slab size 250 X 250 X 25 mm (thickness) were cast with steel mesh (3 to 5 layers) and polyolefin fibers (0.5-2.5% of  volume of specimens with 0.5% interval) and compared with control specimens (cast with steel mesh of 3 to 5 layers). Statistical t-tests were employed to find out the paired difference in impact energy absorption capacity between initial impact energy absorption (IIEA) and ultimate impact energy absorption (UIEA). Also, through statistical analysis, it was found that when steel mesh layers were varied keeping fiber percentage constant, and vice-versa, there were significant differences in the energy absorption capacity of cementitious slabs

A Study of Obstacles in Plagiarism Software Subscribing by Colleges in Tamil Nadu

This article attempts to comprehend the current issues and hurdles that Indian colleges affiliated with Tamil Nadu State Universities encounter when trying to subscribe to a software that detects plagiarism. The study’s goals are to determine whether colleges employ anti-plagiarism software, whether they ensure that their student-given assignments are free of copyright infringement, whether tutors teach about academic misconduct, and what people seem to think of anti-plagiarism software. We surveyed for this study and distributed the questionnaires among college administrators, principals, and librarians. The study respondents are 15.9 per cent principals, 64.2 per cent library professionals, and 19.9 per cent college administrators. The survey study report shows that 70.9 per cent of the majority of the colleges did not subscribe. 41.7 per cent gave the reason it is too expensive, and 30.5 per cent of respondents thought that for their college, it is unnecessary to subscribe. However, nobody has confirmed whether or not all colleges possess access to plagiarism detection software. Thus, according to this investigation, further Indian states must be involved in this research to understand the specific context fully. This report advises the UGC to enforce the requirement that colleges have plagiarism detection software; they either provide colleges additional money to subscribe to such software, or the university must grant free access to the affiliated colleges

JBiopest 7(1):47-51(2014) Management of pink hibiscus mealybug JBiopest 5(1): 1-6 © 438 Association of ants with pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) and its influence on predatory fauna in mulberry ecosystem

ABSTRACT The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a major sucking pest of mulberry, infests tender shoot and causes bunchy top which leads to retarded growth of the plants. The leaves in the infested shoots become unfit for young age silkworm rearing. Infestation of M. hirsutus is often associated with attendant ants and they help spreading of the pest besides protecting from natural enemies. Thus, a study on the association of ants with M. hirsutus and their influence on the predatory fauna in mulberry gardens was carried out in southern Tamil Nadu. Four ant species viz. Monomorium indicum, Solenopsis geminata, Tapinoma sessile and Camponotus compressus were found to have association with the pink mealy bug in mulberry garden. Among the species, M. indicum was found predominant accounting for an average of 37.78 numbers per mealybug infested shoot whereas the rest of the species S. geminata (3.3), T. sessile (1.67) and C. compressus (0.56) were exhibited least association. The average mealy bug population was comparatively higher in ant attended colonies (61.22) than unattended ones (49.22). The population of predatory fauna decreased significantly (0.96) on ants association compared to the mealy bug infested shoots free from the ants (4.75) which indicates the deterring potentiality of the attendant ants. Destruction of the predominant M. indicum colonies in mulberry ecosystem could help increase the field activities of predatory fauna against M. hirsutus

खुले सागरों में स्थापित पिंजरों में कोबिया, पोम्पानो और ग्रूपर के अंडशावकों का पालन

कृपया पूरा लेखा पढ

First experience in the larviculture of cobia, Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1752) in India

Cobia aquaculture has been gaining momentum internationally and has spread to more than 23 countries, half of them in the Asia-Pacific region. Envisaging the prospects of cobia farming in India, broodstock development was initiated and the first successful induced breeding was achieved in March 2010. Larviculture was experimented in Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) tanks as well as Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) tanks and protocols were evolved. Green water technique employing the microalga, Nannochloropsis oculata was used. The critical stage for the larvae was from 5 to 9 days post-hatch (dph), when cumulative mortality reached around 90%. Enriched rotifers were fed from 3 to 10 dph and enriched Artemia nauplii from 9 to 18 dph. Weaning with larval inert feed was initiated from 18 dph and grading was carried out once in four days to avoid cannibalism. The study was conducted for 31 days and the final larval survival noted in the FRP and RCC tanks were 2 and 1%, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the specific growth rate of larvae in the FRP system was 30.1% of body weight per day, while the same in RCC tank was 28.3% of body weight per day. The low survival and specific growth rate of larvae in the RCC tanks could be attributed to the low densities of live feed maintained. The present experience indicated that cobia seed production can be successfully practised and by refining the methodology, the survival and growth can be enhanced to achieve commercial level fingerling production

Broodstock development and controlled breeding of cobia Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus 1766) from Indian seas

Cobia, Rachycentron canadum has emerged as one of the topmost finfish species for mariculture. In India, cobia broodstock was developed and induced breeding was achieved for the first time at Mandapam Regional Centre of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). The broodstock was developed in sea cages of 6 m diameter and 3.5 m depth. Sexes were separated about two months prior to the onset of breeding season and stocked in separate cages. During March 2010, a female with intra-ovarian egg diameter of 700 μ along with two males were selected for induced spawning. The brooders were induced with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) at doses of 500 IU per kg body weight for female and 250 IU per kg body weight for males. Spawning was noted after 39 h of intra-muscular injection. The total eggs spawned were estimated as 2.1 million. About 90% fertilization was recorded (fertilized eggs amounted to 1.9 million). The eggs were collected using a 500 μ mesh net and stocked in incubation tanks at varying densities. The eggs hatched after 22 h of incubation at a temperature range of 28-30 ºC. The percentage of hatching was 80% and the total number of newly hatched larvae was estimated as 1.5 millio

Estimation of repeatability and phenotypic correlation of reproductive traits in zebrafish Danio rerio

This study was conducted to estimate the repeatability and phenotypic correlation of reproductive traits of zebrafish Danio rerio, in captive condition. Breeding trials were conducted on 10 breeding pairs (2 male:1 female). The data on fecundity, fertility, hatchability and survival rate were recorded. The repeatability values were computed as a measure of consistency using the intra-class correlation coefficient. The repeatability estimates for fecundity, fertility, hatchability of total eggs, hatchability of fertilised eggs, survival rate of total eggs and survival rate of larvae were 0.701, 0.406, 0.336, 0.049, 0.295 and 0.314, respectively. Most of the reproductive traits analysed had moderate repeatability values barring the hatchability of fertilised eggs. The phenotypic correlation was calculated using the Pearson correlation method. The phenotypic correlations of fertility with hatchability of fertilised eggs; hatchability of total eggs; survival rate of total eggs and survival rate of larvae were highly significant (p≤0.01). This study provided valuable information on the consistency of reproductive parameters which would serve as model for conducting research in other fish species

Reversible melting and equilibrium phase formation of (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+d

The decomposition and the reformation of the (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+d (?Bi,Pb(2223)?) phase have been investigated in-situ by means of High-Temperature Neutron Diffraction, both in sintered bulk samples and in Ag-sheathed monofilamentary tapes. Several decomposition experiments were performed at various temperatures and under various annealing atmospheres, under flowing gas as well as in sealed tubes, in order to study the appropriate conditions for Bi,Pb(2223) formation from the melt. The Bi,Pb(2223) phase was found to melt incongruently into (Ca,Sr)2CuO3, (Sr,Ca)14Cu24O41 and a Pb,Bi-rich liquid phase. Phase reformation after melting was successfully obtained both in bulk samples and Ag-sheathed tapes. The possibility of crystallising the Bi,Pb(2223) phase from the melt was found to be extremely sensitive to the temperature and strongly dependent on the Pb losses. The study of the mass losses due to Pb evaporation was complemented by thermogravimetric analysis which proved that Pb losses are responsible for moving away from equilibrium and therefore hinder the reformation of the Bi,Pb(2223) phase from the melt. Thanks to the full pattern profile refinement, a quantitative phase analysis was carried out as a function of time and temperature and the role of the secondary phases was investigated. Lattice distortions and/or transitions were found to occur at high temperature in Bi,Pb(2223), Bi,Pb(2212), (Ca,Sr)2CuO3 and (Sr,Ca)14Cu24O41, due to cation diffusion and stoichiometry changes. The results indicate that it is possible to form the Bi,Pb(2223) phase from a liquid close to equilibrium conditions, like Bi(2212) and Bi(2201), and open new unexplored perspectives for high-quality Ag-sheathed Bi,Pb(2223) tape processing.Comment: 45 pages (including references,figures and captions), 13 figures Submitted to Supercond. Sci. Techno

Successful mass production of Three spot damselfish through captive breeding

The captive breeding technology for twenty three marine ornamental species have been developed by ICAR-CMFRI, which includes Clownfishes, Damsels, Fire fish, Dotty back, Anthias etc. The breeding and larval rearing of clownfishes is comparatively easy while the same for damselfishes is difficult because of the difference in live feed requirements

Stock enhancement of shrimp resources through sea ranching

Sea ranching is referred as method of stock enhancement. It involves mass release of juveniles of the selected species into the marine environment where, they can feed on natural prey and grows. The sea ranched stocks become recaptured and add biomass to the commercial fishery. Sea ranching was carried out mainly for stock improvement or enhancing the production or conservation of natural resources. The sea ranching programme was originated in USA as early as 1870’s and sea ranching of red and Pacific salmon was carried out since 1964. In Japan, Sea ranching was started during 1975, for Kuruma Shrimp, Penaeus japanicus and also for other 45 species to supplement the natural stock. In India, ICAR-CMFRI, Mandapam was carried out sea ranching of green tiger shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus seeds PL 15-20 size 7.0 lakhs numbers per annum in the Pillaimadam lagoons of Palk Bay during 1985-92