Microbial decomposition of the floating weed Salvinia molesta Aublet in Cochin backwaters

From the live and decomposing S. molesta 13 strains of bacteria were isolated and the growth promoting effect of the weed extract in various concentrations in 5 selected strains of bacteria and a mixed culture was studied. Turbidity measurements gave maximum percentaae transmission in 5 % extract. Dry weight loss of dried weed in the laboratory was 20 and 25 % after to and 25 days of incubation respectively. Yield efficiency of 3 bacterial strains calculated for 48 hr was 20%. The results suggest the potential value of this primary source of organic material in the food web of Cocbin backwater

Regional and Global Left Ventricular Function Following a Simulated 5 km Race in Sports-Trained Adolescents

The effects of a short, high-intensity bout of exercise on cardiac systolic and diastolic function are not well understood in adolescent athletes. Consequently, the aims of the study were to evaluate global left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function, as well as segmental wall motion responses (cardiac strain), prior to as well as 45 and 225 min following a simulated 5 km cross-country race. Twenty trained, adolescent males (age: 15.2 ± 0.7 years) volunteered for exercise testing. LV fractional shortening and the ratio of early (E) and late (A) peak flow velocities reflected global systolic and diastolic function, respectively. Peak longitudinal mitral annular septal tissue velocities were also determined during systole and diastole. Longitudinal strain (ε) and strain rates were determined across the LV. LV fractional shortening was significantly (P < 0.05) higher at 225 min post-race (37.6 ± 5.8%) compared to pre-race (34.5 ± 4.7%) and 45 min post-race (34.9 ± 5.4 %). This difference was abolished after adjusting for post-race heart rates. There was a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the E:A ratio at both 45 min (2.04 ± 0.57) and 225 min post-race (2.20 ± 0.66) compared to the pre-race value (2.80 ± 0.68). When these data were adjusted for post-race heart rates, these pre-post-race differences in E:A ratio were abolished. There were no significant alterations in either tissue Doppler velocities or longitudinal ε. The evidence suggests that a 5 km race does not lead to any significant post-exercise attenuation in global or regional LV systolic and diastolic function in trained adolescents

MOBILE MAPPING OF THE LA CORONA LAVATUBE ON LANZAROTE

Abstract. Planetary surfaces consist of rough terrain and cave-like environments. Future planetary exploration demands for accurate mapping. However, recent backpack mobile mapping systems are mostly tested in structured, indoor environments. This paper evaluates the use of a backpack mobile mapping system in a cave-like environment. The experiments demonstrate the abilities of an continuous-time optimization approach by mapping part of a lavatube of the La Corona volcano system on Lanzarote. We compare two strategies for trajectory estimation relying either on 2D or 3D laser scanners and show that a 3D laser scanner substantially improved the final results.</p

Reconnaissance Survey of the Irish Continental Shelf/Shelf Edge - Atlantic Irish Regional Survey (AIRS) 1996: A GLORIA Survey of the Irish Continental Margin

The Atlantic Irish Regional Survey (AIRS96) sidescan sonar survey was carried out in August 1996. Covering an area of 200,000 sq.km it represented the largest reconnaissance seabed survey of the Irish Continental Shelf region. It covered both margins, together with much of the basin floor, of the Irish sector of the Rockall Trough and extended into the northern part of the Porcupine Seabight. The objectives of this project were two fold: 1. Strategic: •to undertake, for the first time a preliminary reconnaissance survey of the Irish Continental Shelf/Shelf Edge, •to establish a strategic database on Shelf/Slope Edge conditions, •to provide training and experience to Irish researchers in state of the art marine surveying equipment (GLORIA) and data processing. 2. Scientific: •to document slope stability and mass wasting features on the margins of the Rockall Trough, •to map, where possible, occurrences of deep water carbonate mounds, •to investigate the sediment erosional, transport and depositional mechanisms that have shaped the present morphology of the region. The survey revealed a range of sedimentary features across the steep (i.e. >6º slope) margins and the basin floor in the Rockall Trough. Four classes of sedimentary feature are recognised: (1) mass failure, (2) canyon systems, (3) sediment fans, and (4) sediment drifts. The western margin is characterised by large-scale downslope mass movement features. The western and central parts of the basin floor in the Rockall Trough contain the Feni Sediment Ridge, a large Miocene-Recent contourite sediment accumulation draped by large sediment waves trending sub-parallel to the dominant modern current pattern. A large-scale downslope mass failure feature is recognised across 14,000 sq.km of the northeastern margin of the Rockall Trough. Smaller slides and slumps occur along the eastern margin in association with more prevalent canyon, channel and fan systems. A cluster of carbonate mounds was imaged in the northern part of the Porcupine Seabight. These represent part of one of the most extensive suites of deep-water carbonate mounds in the Atlantic Margin and are currently the subject of a number of new EU-funded research projects. Strong northward-directed bottom currents along the eastern margin are suggested to erode, circulate and re-deposit sediment on the basin floor and on the western margin of the Rockall Trough. The main terrigenous sedimentary input was from the Irish Mainland Shelf. A broad interplay of alongslope and downslope sediment transport processes shaped the morphology of the Rockall Trough, while tectonically-driven basin subsidence, Quaternary glaciations and glacio-eustatic sea-level fluctuations also influenced the overall sedimentation pattern in the Rockall Trough.Funder: Marine Institut

Birthing practices of traditional birth attendants in South Asia in the context of training programmes

Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) training has been an important component of public health policy interventions to improve maternal and child health in developing countries since the 1970s. More recently, since the 1990s, the TBA training strategy has been increasingly seen as irrelevant, ineffective or, on the whole, a failure due to evidence that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in developing countries had not reduced. Although, worldwide data show that, by choice or out of necessity, 47 percent of births in the developing world are assisted by TBAs and/or family members, funding for TBA training has been reduced and moved to providing skilled birth attendants for all births. Any shift in policy needs to be supported by appropriate evidence on TBA roles in providing maternal and infant health care service and effectiveness of the training programmes. This article reviews literature on the characteristics and role of TBAs in South Asia with an emphasis on India. The aim was to assess the contribution of TBAs in providing maternal and infant health care service at different stages of pregnancy and after-delivery and birthing practices adopted in home births. The review of role revealed that apart from TBAs, there are various other people in the community also involved in making decisions about the welfare and health of the birthing mother and new born baby. However, TBAs have changing, localised but nonetheless significant roles in delivery, postnatal and infant care in India. Certain traditional birthing practices such as bathing babies immediately after birth, not weighing babies after birth and not feeding with colostrum are adopted in home births as well as health institutions in India. There is therefore a thin precarious balance between the application of biomedical and traditional knowledge. Customary rituals and perceptions essentially affect practices in home and institutional births and hence training of TBAs need to be implemented in conjunction with community awareness programmes

Penaeid prawn resources along the east coast of India during 1991-2011

The east coast of India with a coast line of 2,688 km and continental shelf area of about 0.56 million km2, provides a good habitat for the penaeid prawns in the adult phase. There are five major perennial rivers, number of creeks and low-lying areas offering nursery grounds for post larvae and juveniles that migrate to the sea after completion of nursery phase to get recruited to the fishery. Though as many as 23 species of penaeids are recorded along the east coast only about 19 species are supporting the regular fisher

A bibliography of parasites and diseases of marine and freshwater fishes of India

With the increasing demand for fish as human food, aquaculture both in freshwater and salt water is rapidly developing over the world. In the developing countries, fishes are being raised as food. In many countries fish farming is a very important economic activity. The most recent branch, mariculture, has shown advances in raising fishes in brackish, estuarine and bay waters, in which marine, anadromous and catadromous fishes have successfully been grown and maintained

The effect of type of femoral component fixation on mortality and morbidity after hip hemiarthroplasty:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Hip hemiarthroplasty is a well-established treatment of displaced femoral neck fracture, although debate exists over whether cemented or uncemented fixation is superior. Uncemented prostheses have typically been used in younger, healthier patients and cemented prostheses in older patients with less-stable bone. Also, earlier research has suggested that bone cement has cytotoxic effects and may trigger cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events. Questions/Purposes: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare morbidity and mortality rates after cemented and uncemented hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of displaced femoral neck fractures in elderly patients. Methods: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched seven medical databases for randomized clinical trials and observational studies. We compared cemented and uncemented hemiarthroplasty using the Harris Hip Score (HHS), as well as measures of postoperative pain, mortality, and complications. Data were extracted and pooled as risk ratios or standardized mean difference with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals in a meta-analysis model. Results: The meta-analysis included 34 studies (12 randomized trials and 22 observational studies), with a total of 42,411 patients. In the pooled estimate, cemented hemiarthroplasty was associated with less risk of postoperative pain than uncemented hemiarthroplasty. There were no significant differences between groups regarding HHS or rates of postoperative mortality, pulmonary embolism, cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, acute cardiac arrhythmia, or deep venous thrombosis. Conclusions: While we found that cemented hemiarthroplasty results in less postoperative pain than uncemented hemiarthroplasty in older patients with femoral neck fracture, the lack of significant differences in functional hip scores, mortality, and complications was surprising. Further high-level research is needed