Role of fisheries extension officers in FFDA at Balasore

The first FFDA in Orissa state was established in the year 1976. The study was conducted in Balasore district of the State. The findings revealed that all of the FEOs were not well qualified but trained and experienced. The duration of training obtained varied from 3 to 10 months. An FEO has a large area under his jurisdiction. Cycle was used by most of the FEOs to visit the fish farmers which resulted in infrequent visits. The FEOs were not satisfied with the working conditions, promotion avenues and conveyance facilities. There was interference of political bodies in leasing out ponds. The amount of loan sanctioned was not adequate to start fish farming. They also revealed that marketing aspects were totally neglected by the FFDA

In-situ integrated processing and characterization of thin films of high temperature superconductors, dielectrics and semiconductors by MOCVD

In this strategy of depositing the basic building blocks of superconductors, semiconductors, and dielectric having common elements, researchers deposited superconducting films of Y-Ba-Cu-O, semiconductor films of Cu2O, and dielectric films of BaF2 and Y2O3 by metal oxide chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). By switching source materials entering the chamber, and by using direct writting capability, complex device structures like three-terminal hybrid semiconductors/superconductors transistors can be fabricated. The Y-Ba-Cu-O superconducting thin films on BaF2/YSZ substrates show a T(sub c) of 80 K and are textured with most of the grains having their c-axis or a-axis perpendicular to the substrate. Electrical characteristics as well as structural characteristics of superconductors and related materials obtained by x-ray defraction, electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray analysis are discussed

In-situ integrated processing and characterization of thin films of high temperature superconductors, dielectrics and semiconductors by MOCVD

In this strategy of depositing the basic building blocks of superconductors, semiconductors, and dielectrics having common elements, researchers deposited superconducting films of Y-Ba-Cu-O, semiconductor films of Cu2O, and dielectric films of BaF2 and Y2O3 by metal oxide chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). By switching source materials entering the chamber, and by using direct writing capability, complex device structures like three terminal hybrid semiconductor/superconductor transistors can be fabricated. The Y-Ba-Cu-O superconducting thin films on BaF2/YSZ substrates show a T(sub c) of 80 K and are textured with most of the grains having their c-axis or a-axis perpendicular to the substrate. Electrical characteristics as well as structural characteristics of superconductors and related materials obtained by x-ray deffraction, electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray analysis are discussed

Development and application of rice starch based edible coating to improve the postharvest storage potential and quality of plum fruit (<i>Prunus salicina</i>)

The study investigated the possibility of enhancing the shelf life of plum fruit coated with rice starch-ι-carrageenan (RS-ι-car) composite coating blended with sucrose fatty acid esters (FAEs). Film solution (starch 3%, carrageenan 1.5% and FAEs 2%) was prepared by mixing the ingredients and properties of stand-alone films (physical, mechanical, barrier and surface morphology) were studied before applying the coating on fruit surface. Fruit were stored at 20 °C for 3 weeks and analyzed for weight loss, ethylene production, respiration rate, color change, firmness, and titratable acidity (TA) and soluble solid content (SSC). Surface morphology of stand-alone film and fruit surface (after applying on the plum fruit) was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Phytochemical analysis was performed during the storage period and total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), flavonoid content (FC) and free radical scavenging activity were determined. The rice starch composite coating was shown to be effective in reducing both weight loss (WL) and respiration rate and inhibiting the endogenous ethylene production when compared to the uncoated control fruit stored at room temperature (p &lt; 0.05). TPC, TAC, FC and free radical scavenging activity was unaffected in the coated fruit throughout the storage period (p &lt; 0.05). The findings reported in this study indicate that the RS-ι-car-FAEs coating prolongs the shelf life and maintains the overall quality of plum fruit during storage and could potentially be commercialized as a new edible coating for the plum fruit industry

Nutritional studies of Chara corallina

Physico-chemical analysis of the pond water supporting growth of Chara corallina and of those grown in different culture media in the laboratory conditions have been carried out. The physico-chemical parameters of the water of Napli forest and P.N. Mehra Botanical Garden show that Chara corallina requires less amount of nutrients and the level of pollution is quite low as is evident from the data and standards. The water is clear enough to allow penetration of visibility to its bottom. Napli forest and P.N. Mehra Botanical Garden lack rich diversity which may be attributed to some chemicals released by Chara corallina. In laboratory culture, it is found that Chara corallina can be grown in all three culture media, viz., Allen and Arnon&rsquo;s medium , Chu-10 medium and BG-11 medium but growth is seen to be the best in Allen and Arnon&rsquo;s culture medium in comparison with the other two culture media

Nitric acid scavenging by mineral and biomass burning aerosols

The abundance of gas phase nitric acid in the upper troposphere is overestimated by global chemistry-transport models, especially during the spring and summer seasons. Recent aircraft data obtained over the central US show that mineral aerosols were abundant in the upper troposphere during spring. Chemical reactions on mineral dust may provide an important sink for nitric acid. In regions where the mineral dust abundance is low in the upper troposphere similar HNO3 removal processes may occur on biomass burning aerosols. We propose that mineral and biomass burning aerosols may provide an important global sink for gas phase nitric acid, particularly during spring and summer when aerosol composition in the upper troposphere may be greatly affected by dust storms from east Asia or tropical biomass burning plumes

Hydrogels of Poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid): In-vitro Study on Release of Gentamicin Sulfate

Poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) hydrogels, poly(AAm-co-AAc), were synthesized by free radical polymerization in solution using N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm) as the crosslinker. The structural parameters and the swelling behavior of the synthesized hydrogels were investigated for varying nominal crosslinking ratio and composition of the hydrogels. The use of hydrogels for drug release was investigated with gentamicin sulfate (GS) as the model drug. The drug release from hydrogels was investigated as a function of hydrogel composition, nominal crosslinking ratio (X) and drug loading. The observed drug release data was fitted to a power law model and the power law exponent (n) suggested that the drug release mechanism from these hydrogels was sensitive to hydrogel composition and was swelling-controlled for low concentrations of AAc and showed Fickian diffusion for high concentrations of AAc in the hydrogels. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies were performed on control hydrogel samples and drug loaded hydrogels to understand the chemical interactions between the drug and the polymer. Specific drug interactions were observed in these hydrogels

Structural Parameters and Swelling Behavior of pH Sensitive Poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) Hydrogels

In the present work, hydrogels based on acrylamide (AAm) and acrylic acid (AAc), crosslinked with N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm) were prepared by free radical polymerization in solution. The effect of initial AAm/AAc mole ratio and nominal crosslinking ratio (moles of crosslinking agent/moles of polymer repeat unit) on the dynamic and equilibrium swelling behaviour of hydrogels was investigated. Hydrogels were characterized by the polymer volume fraction in the swollen state (ν2,s ), the number average molecular mass between crosslinks (Mc ) and the mesh size (ξ). The swelling capacity of hydrogels was found to decrease with increasing nominal crosslinking ratio. The results show a significant influence of AAc monomer concentration on swelling behavior of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) hydrogels. Hydrogels containing higher acrylic acid content had a higher equilibrium mass swelling at pH 7.4 and in distilled water than at pH 3.0 where the acrylic acid is present in nonionized state. Further, swelling data was fitted to various models and model parameters were evaluated using regression technique. Model analysis indicated that the swelling transport followed non-Fickian mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the macroporous surface morphology of the matrix with pore size varying between 2–64 microns depending on the amounts of AAc in the hydrogel