Diversification of Fish Culture and Exports among Major Shrimp-producing Countries of Asia: A Spatial and Temporal Analysis

Asian countries contribute nearly 90 per cent to global production of culture fisheries. Diversification of species is not happening in fish culture because of the high value shrimp commands in the export market. Shrimp farming is on the increase in all the major shrimp-producing Asian countries. Higher the growth in shrimp production, higher is the instability in production due to production risks associated with ecosystem complexities and disease incidences. Most of the shrimp-producing countries have been moving towards specialization of shrimp production for export because of the high price that the shrimp asserts in the international market. A comparison between the Asian countries for the period 1976-2002 has revealed that Malaysia has maintained low growth and low instability and higher diversification, and Bangladesh and Vietnam have diversified in fish exports. In a country-level comparison, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines have shown moderate growth in production and export of shrimp. The instability associated with their shrimp production has also been moderate. Diversification in fish production as well as exports has been suggested for assured income to farmers and the country. It has been pointed that replacing, supplementing or rotating the shrimp farming with culture of other high-value fish species like Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer), grouper (Epinephelus spp), mullets (Mugil spp) and milk fish (Chanos spp) culture may ease the risks in mono-cropping of shrimp.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Chelated Antimony Compounds

660-66

Identifying lifestyle factors associated to co-morbidity of obesity and psychiatric disorders, a pilot study

Obesity and psychiatric disorders are linked through a bidirectional association. Obesity rates have tripled globally in the past decades, and it is predicted that by 2025, one billion people will be affected by obesity, often with a co-morbidity such as depression. While this co-morbidity seems to be a global health issue, lifestyle factors associated to it differ between countries and are often attributed to more than one factor. Prior obesity studies were performed in Western populations; this is the first study that investigates lifestyle factors relating to obesity and mental health of the diverse population in Qatar, a country that has witnessed tremendous lifestyle change in a short time. In this pilot study, we surveyed 379 respondents to assess and compare the lifestyles of Qatar residents to the global population. However due to the high proportion of responses from the United Kingdom (UK) residents, we have made comparisons between Qatar residents and UK residents. We used chi-square analysis, spearman rank correlation and logistic regression to compare the lifestyle factors of individuals suffering from both increased BMI and mental health conditions. The types of food consumed, stress, exercise frequency and duration, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and sleep duration, were explored and results argue that different lifestyle factors can contribute to the same health condition, suggesting different mechanisms involved. We found that both groups reported similar sleep durations (p = 0.800), but that perception of sleep (p = 0.011), consumption of alcohol (p = 0.001), consumption of takeaway food (p = 0.007), and physical activity significantly varied between the groups (p = 0.0001). The study examined the predictors of comorbidity in Qatar as well as UK populations using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The result of the study showed no statistical association between comorbidity and the predictors drinking habit, smoking, physical activity, vegetable consumption, eat outs, and sleep perception for the Qatar population, and for the combined population. This study, however showed a significant association (p = 0.033) between sleep perception and comorbidity for the UK population. We conclude that further analysis is needed to understand the relationship between specific lifestyle factors and multimorbidity in each country

Evolutionary dynamics on strongly correlated fitness landscapes

We study the evolutionary dynamics of a maladapted population of self-replicating sequences on strongly correlated fitness landscapes. Each sequence is assumed to be composed of blocks of equal length and its fitness is given by a linear combination of four independent block fitnesses. A mutation affects the fitness contribution of a single block leaving the other blocks unchanged and hence inducing correlations between the parent and mutant fitness. On such strongly correlated fitness landscapes, we calculate the dynamical properties like the number of jumps in the most populated sequence and the temporal distribution of the last jump which is shown to exhibit a inverse square dependence as in evolution on uncorrelated fitness landscapes. We also obtain exact results for the distribution of records and extremes for correlated random variables

Some Chelates of Al(III) & Their Reactions

408-40

RANITIDINE CONTROLLED RELEASE ANTI-REFLUX SUSPENSION FOR GASTRO-OESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE AND IT’S IN VITRO EVALUATION

Objective: The aim of this work was to develop triple action controlled release anti-reflux suspension of ranitidine and its in-vitro evaluation of anti-reflux and controlled release properties. Methods: The formulation was optimized using sodium alginate as a gelling agent along with calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium hydroxide, aluminium hydroxide as alkalizing agents and colloidal microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as a suspending agent at various concentrations and arrived at an optimized formulation for its best quality attributes. To avoid initial release in water before administration, ranitidine coated MCC sphere was incorporated into powder formulation and subjected to in vitro characteristics like raft strength, acid neutralizing capacity, pH, viscosity and dissolution study. The obtained results were assessed using Minitab 17 statistical software to conclude the study design. Results: Formulation containing 300 mg of ranitidine along with 750 mg alginate has shown better anti-reflux characteristics like raft strength 18±2g, acid neutralizing capacity 17±1 mEq compared to other formulations. This formulation has also shows zero-order controlled release in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF) up to 10 h compared to the formulation without alginate. Further, to this optimized formulation has shown negligible change in the assay of ranitidine even after 3 mo at 40 °C temperature and 75% RH. Conclusion: The developed stable sustained release powder for suspension has the combined therapeutic efficacy as an antacid and anti-reflux drug suitable for the management and treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) unlike the existing drugs possessing only reflux resistance action

Threats in production of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh ranks first in the southern states of the country in production andproductivity of coriander and ranks second in country. Coriander is cultivated in nearly31298 hectares in Andhra Pradesh with a production of 37548 metric tonnes. The productivityof the crop increased from 275 kg/ha in 1990 to 1200 kg/ha by 2005-06. The reduction in cropcoverage has become a serious concern for the department of horticulture and as well asfarmers. The major factors that affected the shift were cultivation of alternate crops andchanging cropping patterns, vagaries in climate, non-availability of quality seed, terminalmoisture stress and fluctuations in market prices. This study also focuses on achievements ofthe state in crossing the average national productivity of the crop through strong researchby AICRP on Spices and efforts of Department of Horticulture in extension programmes. &nbsp

Postprandial apoE isoform and conformational changes associated with VLDL lipolysis products modulate monocyte inflammation.

ObjectivePostprandial hyperlipemia, characterized by increased circulating very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS), has been proposed as a mechanism of vascular injury. Our goal was to examine the interactions between postprandial lipoproteins, LPS, and apoE3 and apoE4 on monocyte activation.Methods and resultsWe showed that apoE3 complexed to phospholipid vesicles attenuates LPS-induced THP-1 monocyte cytokine expression, while apoE4 increases expression. ELISA revealed that apoE3 binds to LPS with higher affinity than apoE4. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of site-directed spin labels placed on specific amino acids of apoE3 showed that LPS interferes with conformational changes normally associated with lipid binding. Specifically, compared to apoE4, apoE bearing the E3-like R112→Ser mutation displays increased self association when exposed to LPS, consistent with a stronger apoE3-LPS interaction. Additionally, lipolysis of fasting VLDL from normal human donors attenuated LPS-induced TNFα secretion from monocytes to a greater extent than postprandial VLDL, an effect partially reversed by blocking apoE. This effect was reproduced using fasting VLDL lipolysis products from e3/e3 donors, but not from e4/e4 subjects, suggesting that apoE3 on fasting VLDL prevents LPS-induced inflammation more readily than apoE4.ConclusionPostprandial apoE isoform and conformational changes associated with VLDL dramatically modulate vascular inflammation

Influence of micronutrients on growth and yield of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) in rainfed vertisols

Coriander crop is grown as a rainfed rabi crop in vertisols of Andhra Pradesh. The cropgenerally suffers from periods of moisture stress from the flowering to maturity stagedepending on precipitation during November and December months. During these stressperiods, the crop shows deficiency symptoms of micronutrients such as Copper, Manganese,Zinc and Iron. The foliar application of ZnSO4 0.5%, FeSO4 0.5% and combination of ZnSO4+ FeSO4 + CuSO4 + MnSO4 all at 0.5%, had significant positive influence on all growthparameters and yield of Coriander crop. Among the treatments, ZnSO4 + FeSO4 + CuSO4 +MnSO4 all at 0.5% recorded maximum plant height, number of primary branches andsecondary branches, umbels per plant and umbellets per umbel, which are significantlysuperior to control. Crop maturity differed significantly among the treatments though thedifference between the maximum and minimum days was only 3.3 days. The treatments, ZnSO4 + Fe SO4 + Cu SO4 + Mn SO4  all at 0.5%, recorded significantly highest yield (940 kg/ha)followed by Fe SO4 0.5 % (927 kg/ha) and Zn SO4 0.5 % (922 kg/ha) which are on par witheach other and significantly superior over control (801 kg/ha). &nbsp

Studies on character association in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

The investigation was carried out with twelve genotypes of fenugreek obtained from differentcoordinating centres of AICRP on Spices at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lamduring 1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 to estimate the correlation coefficientsfor yield and yield components. The mean data over four years was subjected to statisticalanalysis for estimating correlation coefficients both at phenotypic and genotypic level. Ingeneral the phenotypic correlation coefficients were smaller than genotypic correlationcoefficients for majority of the characters. Seed yield showed highly significant positiveassociation with plant height (0.907** and 0.967**), number of pods per plant (0.876** and0.952 **), pod length (0.839** and 1.005**) and number of seeds per pod (0.905** and 0.984**)both at phenotypic and genotypic level, respectively. Among the yield component charactersplant height with number of pods per plant (0.961** and 0.971**), pod length (0.818** and0.939**), number of seeds per pod (0.982 and 0.994); number of pods per plant with podlength (0.743**, 0.932**), number of seeds per pod (0.979**, 0.994**) and pod length withnumber of seeds per pod (0.815**, 0.979**) showed significant positive association both atphenotypic and genotypic level.The phenotypic and genotypic correlation studied showed that association of seed yieldwith plant height, number of pods per plant, pod length and number of seeds per pod wasappreciable, indicating the importance of these traits as components for seed yield. &nbsp