Design and technical characteristics of shark gillnet operating in Mumbai coast

This paper deals with design and general features of shark gillnets operated along Mumbai coast. A PA monofilament of 0.60 to 1.0 mm diameter and selvedge meshes of PE of 1 to 2 mm diameter were used for shark set gillnets along Mumbai coast. Mesh size of the main webbing ranged from 120 to 200 mm with average of 144.4 ± 10.83 mm and rigged with a hanging coefficient of 0.41 to 0.51 with average of 0.42 were commonly used. A hung length ranging from 40 to 105 m with mean of 59 ± 10.37 with total hung depth varying from 6.42 to 10.58 m with average of 8.15 ± 0.49 m. Shark gillnet had a total length of 260 to 456 m with mean of 350.71 ± 28.53 m. The nets were operated mostly at a depth up to 18 m very near to the shore and were of set type of gillnet. Polyamide (PA) monofilament netting of 0.16 to 0.32 mm diameter and of mesh size 26-200 mm were generally used for construction of gillnets throughout the Mumbai coast. Polyamide (PA) monofilament has completely replaced PA multifilament in all the nets except those targeted i.e. white sardine and seerfish

Gallic Acid Protects Against Immobilization Stress-Induced Changes In Wistar Rats

Background: Stress triggers a wide range of body changes. Herbal medicines are rich in non specific antistress agents.Purpose: The present study was carried out to evaluate the antistress effect of gallic acid (GA), a naturally occurring plant phenol, on immobilization induced-stress in male albino Wistar rats.Methods: The immobilization stress was induced in rats by putting the rats in 20 cm Ч 7 cm plastic tubes for 2 h/day for 21 days. Rats were post orally treated with GA at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight via intragastric intubations.Results:Treatment with GA significantly increased the food intake, body weight, organ weight (spleen, testis and brain) and the significant reduction was found in weight of liver, kidney, heart and adrenal glands, which was altered in stressed rats. GA also significantly reduced the elevated levels of plasma glucose, plasma and tissue cholesterol (CHL), triglycerides (TG), Low Density Lipid (LDL), Very Low Density Lipid (VLDL) and also significantly increased the level of High Density Lipid (HDL). A significant decrease in hematological parameters like RBC count, total and differential WBC count was also found which were increased in immobilization stress.Conclusion: GA prevented the stress-induced physiological, biochemical and hematological changes, indicating the preventive effect against stress

Comparison in Various Bioactive Compounds of Leaves and Seeds of Foeniculum Vulgare Mill.

Medicinal plants a gift of nature are being used against various infections and diseases in the subcontinent since past history. Herbs were use as food ( vegetables ) and flavors for hundred of years in many parts of world. Whereas number of herbs have also been traditionally regarded as natural remedies for common ailments of human population. Furthermore some herbal plants are considered as house of medicines and played an important role in nearly every culture on earth, including Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. A study was conducted to analyze the Leaves and seeds of Foeniculum vulgare for different bioactive compounds those includes saponins , total proteins, amino acids, fat and flavonoids with one and two dimensional thin layer and column chromatography followed by spectrophotometric analysis. Results indicates that leaves contained higher concentration of flavonoids and fat. Where as level of Saponins, proteins, amino acids, total minerals and other organic compounds was high in seeds. The analysis of leave and seeds of Foeniculum vulgare for these valuable organic compounds will provide important raw materials that can be used for preparation of medicines in Pharmaceuticals companies. Furthermore interest of people in plant made medicines are increasing due to their concern about the side effects of powerful synthetic drugs and high prices of these medicines. It is expected that raw material obtained from plants will not only reduce the prices of medicines in the pharmaceutical market but also provide rapid and reliable system of treatment of various infection and disease of human populatio

Economic loss assessment on juvenile fish catch due to forced non-selectivity in a selective fishing gear, gillnet along Mumbai coast, India

A study on quantity and value of juvenile fish landings was carried out in the gillnet fishery of three selected landing centers along Mumbai coast viz., Versova, Cuff Parade and Mahim in India using Out board motors (OBM), Inboard motors (IBM) and non-motorised gillnetters respectively. The data on the quantity and value of landed juveniles were collected and analysed to reach a consensus on the gross economic loss on account of juvenile fishing. A bio-economic model was used to estimate economic loss due to juvenile fishing of 18 commercially important species of finfish and shellfish. A huge economic loss was recorded due to fishing of juveniles of 18 species by three different gillnet sectors. The analysis indicated that IBM gillnetters at Cuff Parade incurred maximum loss of Rs. 62.26 crores with major contribution from juveniles of seerfish followed by non-motorised gillnetter (Rs.29.98 crores) at Mahim and 25.33 crores in OBM gillnetters at Versova

Characterizations of ordered semigroups in terms of (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy interior ideals

In this paper, we give characterizations of ordered semigroups in terms of (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy interior ideals. We characterize different classes regular (resp. intra-regular, simple and semisimple) ordered semigroups in terms of (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy interior ideals (resp. (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy ideals). In this regard, we prove that in regular (resp. intra-regular and semisimple) ordered semigroups the concept of (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy ideals and (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy interior ideals coincide. We prove that an ordered semigroup S is simple if and only if it is (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy simple. We characterize intra-regular (resp. semisimple) ordered semigroups in terms of (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy ideals (resp. (∈, ∈ ∨q)-fuzzy interior ideals). Finally, we consider the concept of implication-based fuzzy interior ideals in an ordered semigroup, in particular, the implication operators in Lukasiewicz system of continuous-valued logic are discussed

Transgenesis: An efficient tool in mulberry breeding

Genetic engineering is the most potent biotechnological approach dealing with transfer of specially constructed gene assemblies through various transformation techniques. Tools of recombinant DNA technology facilitated development of transgenic plants.  The plants obtained through genetic engineering contain a gene or genes usually from an unrelated organisms, and are known as transgenic plants. The combined use of recombinant DNA technology, gene transfer methods and tissue culture techniques has  led to the efficient transformation and production of transgenics in a wide variety of crop plants. In fact transgenesis has emerged as a novel tool for carrying out “single gene breeding” or transgenic breeding of crop plants. Identification, isolation and cloning of resistant genes is the prerequisite for development of transgenic plants for disease resistance. Identification of resistance genes on the basis of amino acid sequence, conservation enables plant breeder to monitor resistance gene segregation using  appropriate DNA probe intend of testing progeny for disease resistance and susceptibility. Significant developments in plant  genetic modification have been achieved in the last 15 years. Some of the success include herbicide tolerant corn, cotton,  soyabeen and papaya; virus resistant corn, potato, cotton among others. In mulberry, little work has been carried out at Delhi University (south campus). They have developed drought and salinity tolerent transgenic mulberry through Agrobacterium mediated transformation. The overexpression of HVA1 gene from barley generates tolerence to salinity and water stress in  transgenic mulberry (Morus indica).Keywords: Transgenic plant, mulberry, resistance, salinity

Conserved Mutations in the Pneumococcal Bacteriocin Transporter Gene, blpA, Result in a Complex Population Consisting of Producers and Cheaters

All fully sequenced strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae possess a version of the blp locus, which is responsible for bacteriocin production and immunity. Activation of the blp locus is stimulated by accumulation of the peptide pheromone, BlpC, following its secretion by the ABC transporter, BlpA. The blp locus is characterized by significant diversity in blpC type and in the region of the locus containing putative bacteriocin and immunity genes. In addition, the blpA gene can represent a single large open reading frame or be divided into several smaller fragments due to the presence of frameshift mutations. In this study, we use a collection of strains with blp-dependent inhibition and immunity to define the genetic changes that bring about phenotypic differences in bacteriocin production or immunity. We demonstrate that alterations in blpA, blpC, and bacteriocin/immunity content likely play an important role in competitive interactions between pneumococcal strains. Importantly, strains with a highly conserved frameshift mutation in blpA are unable to secrete bacteriocins or BlpC, but retain the ability to respond to exogenous peptide pheromone produced by cocolonizing strains, stimulating blp-mediated immunity. These “cheater” strains can only coexist with bacteriocin-producing strains that secrete their cognate BlpC and share the same immunity proteins. The variable outcome of these interactions helps to explain the heterogeneity of the blp pheromone, bacteriocin, and immunity protein content

Global respiratory syncytial virus-related infant community deaths

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of pediatric death, with \u3e99% of mortality occurring in low- and lower middle-income countries. At least half of RSV-related deaths are estimated to occur in the community, but clinical characteristics of this group of children remain poorly characterized.Methods: The RSV Global Online Mortality Database (RSV GOLD), a global registry of under-5 children who have died with RSV-related illness, describes clinical characteristics of children dying of RSV through global data sharing. RSV GOLD acts as a collaborative platform for global deaths, including community mortality studies described in this supplement. We aimed to compare the age distribution of infant deaths \u3c6 months occurring in the community with in-hospital.Results: We studied 829 RSV-related deaths \u3c1 year of age from 38 developing countries, including 166 community deaths from 12 countries. There were 629 deaths that occurred \u3c6 months, of which 156 (25%) occurred in the community. Among infants who died before 6 months of age, median age at death in the community (1.5 months; IQR: 0.8-3.3) was lower than in-hospital (2.4 months; IQR: 1.5-4.0; P \u3c .0001). The proportion of neonatal deaths was higher in the community (29%, 46/156) than in-hospital (12%, 57/473, P \u3c 0.0001).Conclusions: We observed that children in the community die at a younger age. We expect that maternal vaccination or immunoprophylaxis against RSV will have a larger impact on RSV-related mortality in the community than in-hospital. This case series of RSV-related community deaths, made possible through global data sharing, allowed us to assess the potential impact of future RSV vaccines

Structure and mechanism of acetolactate decarboxylase

Acetolactate decarboxylase catalyzes the conversion of both enantiomers of acetolactate to the (R)-enantiomer of acetoin, via a mechanism that has been shown to involve a prior rearrangement of the non-natural (R)-enantiomer substrate to the natural (S)-enantiomer. In this paper, a series of crystal structures of ALDC complex with designed transition state mimics are reported. These structures, coupled with inhibition studies and site-directed mutagenesis provide an improved understanding of the molecular processes involved in the stereoselective decarboxylation/protonation events. A mechanism for the transformation of each enantiomer of acetolactate is proposed

Određivanje donepezil hidroklorida u humanoj plazmi i ljekovitim oblicima pomoću HPLC s detekcijom fluorescencije

A sensitive, isocratic reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method involving fluorescence detection was developed for the determination of donepezil hydrochloride in tablets and in human plasma. Pindolol was successfully used as an internal standard. Good chromatographic separation was achieved by using analytical column C18. The system operated at room temperature using a mobile phase consisting of methanol, phosphate buffer (0.02 mol L1) and triethyl amine (pH 3.5) (55: 45: 0.5 V/V/V) at a flow rate 0.9 mL min1. The analyte and internal standard were extracted from human plasma via liquid-liquid extraction. The proposed method was validated for selectivity, linearity, accuracy and precision. The calibration curve was linear over the range of 5-2000 ng mL1 of donepezil with detection limit of 1.5 ng mL1. Intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were less than 2.5 %. The method was found to be suitable for the quality control of donepezil hydrochloride in bulk drug as well as in human plasma.Ovaj rad opisuje HPLC metodu određivanja donepezil hidroklorida (DP) u tabletama i u ljudskoj plazmi u nano području. Postavljena je osjetljiva metoda izokratične HPLC s fluorescencijskom detekcijom. Kao unutarnji standard upotrebljen je pindolol. Dobro kromatografsko odjeljivanje postignuto je primjenom analitičke kolone C18. Radna temperatura bila je sobna, a kao mobilna faza upotrebljena je smjesa metanola, fosfatnog pufera (0,02 mol L1) i trietilamina (pH 3,5) (55:45:0.5 V/V/V). Analit i unutarnji standard su ekstrahirani iz ljudske plazme ekstrakcijom tekuće-tekuće. Predložena metoda je validirana s obzirom na selektivnost, područje linearnosti, ispravnost i preciznost. Kalibracijska funkcija bila je linearna u području od 5-2000 ng mL1 donepezila, a granica detekcije iznosila je 2 ng mL1. Relativna standardna devijacija za repetabilnost i intermedijarnu preciznost bila je manja od 2,5 %. Metoda je primjenljliva u kontroli kvalitete ljekovitih formulacija s DP-om i u praćenju DP-a u ljudskoj plazmi