PHYTOPHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW OF KNEMA ATTENUATA (HOOK F. AND THOMSON) WARB

Knema attenuata, a member of Myristicaceae family and commonly known to world as ‘wild nutmeg’ is broadly used in folk medicine for treating ailments such as jaundice, chronic fever, inflammations, spleen disorders, breathing disorders and impaired taste sensation. This review article aims to compile all the updated information on the phytochemical and pharmacological activities of plant Knema attenuata. Studies indicate that different parts such as aril, seed and stem bark of the plant is rich in phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, terpenes, resins and glycolipids. Moreover, stem bark of Knema attenuata contains a lignan ‘attenuol’ with diverse pharmacological activities. In addition, different extracts of plant parts have been found to possess various pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, antifungal, larvicidal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidemic, and hepatoprotective activities. More research on phytochemical composition and therapeutic implications are recommended

Bulk viscosity in hyperonic star and r-mode instability

We consider a rotating neutron star with the presence of hyperons in its core, using an equation of state in an effective chiral model within the relativistic mean field approximation. We calculate the hyperonic bulk viscosity coefficient due to nonleptonic weak interactions. By estimating the damping timescales of the dissipative processes, we investigate its role in the suppression of gravitationally driven instabilities in the $r$-mode. We observe that $r$-mode instability remains very much significant for hyperon core temperature of around $10^8$K, resulting in a comparatively larger instability window. We find that such instability can reduce the angular velocity of the rapidly rotating star considerably upto $\sim0.04 \Omega_K$, with $\Omega_K$ as the Keplerian angular velocity.Comment: 10 pages including 7 figure

Stock structure analysis of Nemipterus bipunctatus (Valenciennes, 1830) from three locations along the Indian coast

1888-1895Present study was done to identify the occurrence of various stocks of Nemipterus bipunctatus along the Indian coast, based on their body and skull shape morphometrics. Fish samples were collected from three locations along the Indian coast viz. Chennai along the East coast and Mumbai and Veraval on the West coast. Twenty truss distances from nine-point truss network of body and twenty-one truss distances from eleven-point truss network of the skull were measured from each fish sample. The canonical discriminant analysis showed that the truss distances belong to the anterior region and caudal peduncle of body and olfactory region of skull were significant in separating the fish stocks. The artificial neural network analysis revealed 91.4 % and 86.14 % well classification of the specimen, based on the truss distances of body and skull respectively. The results from the study indicated that there is a significant difference among the stocks of N. bipunctatus

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

First record of patchy coral reef off Terekhol, North Goa, India

This study reports the first time record of the patchy coral reef (~ 2 km2) of Terekhol in North Goa, the western coast of India during January – February 2020. There were more than 07 genera/species of hard corals in the reef and is dominated by a reef building Turbinaria mesenterina (Dendrophylliidae), which is considered as a sediment tolerant coral species. A total of 25 fish species were counted and the major species recorded were Chromis viridis, Chromis sp., Dascyllus sp., Abudefduf saxatilis, Abudefduf bengalensis, Acanthurus blochii, Acanthurus nigroris, Acanthurus sp., and Odonus niger that contributed 80 % of the total fish community. The documentation and record of the reef area could give identity to the ecosystem in the spatial platform and the conservation efforts can be planned for the reef by limiting the anthropogenic activities in and around the ecosystem

Fish models in experimental pharmacology: on the mark or off the mark

Fish has emerged as an alternative model organism in biomedical research for conducting experimental pharmacological and toxicological studies. As a vertebrate, it shares many conserved physiological and molecular features with humans making it a valuable model for diagnosing, investigating disease states and testing drugs to check toxicity and therapeutic activity against the target. Zebrafish and medaka are mainstream models that are widely employed in pharmaceutical research. This study aims to highlight the probability and potential of fish as an alternative model organism in biomedical research, drug discovery and development. Further, it discusses the limitations of fish models in experimental pharmacological and toxicological studies considering the changes in the residing environment, physiology, metabolism, unpredictable inter-individual variability due to diseases, variable conditioning, and interspecific and intraspecific variability

Effect of monsoon on coastal fish diversity of Goa: an example from the gillnet fishery

The dynamics of fauna in coastal ecosystems are influenced by seasonal patterns in the oceanographic environment. It is well known that the monsoon along south-west coast of India influences the movement and spawning of fishes. Thus, they have direct effect on the richness, abundance and evenness of fish diversity in the ecosystem. This study investigates how the monsoon affects the commercial gillnet fishery along the coast of Goa. Fishing experiments were conducted in popular gillnet fishing grounds and the temporal pattern in diversity indices between October 2013 and September 2014 was assessed. A total of 124 fish species (40 families), 16 crustacean species (4 families) and 9 molluscan species (8 families) were recorded. The species diversity was found to be significantly different during the monsoon season and the species abundance distribution followed a geometric series during this period indicating signs of ecosystem perturbations. The economic and biological aspects of gillnet fishing in relation to the monsoon season in Goa are also discussed

Bronchial & Alveolar Lipidomic Profile as a Marker of the Immunological and Functional Status of the Lung Allograft.

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Effect of environmental variables on the growth of Asian green mussel Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758), in two different aquaculture systems in Goa, west coast of India

Asian Green mussel, Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758), is a bivalve mollusc with high market demand along India’s western coast, specifically in Goa. An experiment was conducted to compare the environmental variables, specific growth rate (SGR) and length-weight progression of the species raised in two different coastal aquaculture systems; a semi-enclosed water body (SEW) and an open-water system (OWS). The variables chlorophyll-a and plankton density were high in SEW and these variables were positively correlated with the growth rate of the species. The ‘b’ value of the length-weight relationship and SGR were found high and allometric in nature in SEW. The prediction of SGR using the generalised linear model has indicated that plankton density and nitrate are the variables that influence the growth of P. viridis. Thus, being a predominant filter-feeder on plankton, the high plankton density channeled through the rich nutrients and chlorophyll content might have triggered the growth of mussels in SEW. India is blessed with many semi-enclosed coastal water bodies lying unutilised, and the results indicate that there is scope for mussel culture in these systems, which will provide a source of secondary livelihood for the coastal fishers

Ecopath modelling approach for the impact assessment of a small-scale coastal aquaculture system in Goa, India

In this study, the ecological impacts of introduction of cage aquaculture employing small cages integrating shellfish and finfish in coastal water bodies of Goa, situated in the west coast of India were analysed using Ecopath with Ecosim model. A multispecies cage aquaculture system incorporating Lutjanus argentimaculatus, Etroplus suratensis and Perna viridis was established in an estuarine ecosyste