Field application of anabolic steroids in carp seed production. II. Rearing of spawn to fry stage.

Two synthetic androgenic steroids, Ethylestrenol (17 β - Hydroxy - 17 α ethyl - estr - 4 - en - 3 - one) and Stanozolal (17 β - Hydroxy- 17 α - methyl - 5 a - androstano - 3, 2 - C - pyrazole) were fed via diet at 3 ppm to the spawn of Rohu and Mrigal which were reared up to fry stage over a period of 15 days in earthen carp nurseries. Both hormones enhanced growth of spawn. A maximum of 25.78% increase in length and 25.69% increase in weight as compared to the controls has been recorded. Growth rate was recorded to be 0.8 mm & 2.48 mg/day (control), and 1.13 mm & 2.67 mg/day (Stanozolol treated) in case of Mrigal spawn; and 0.91 mm & 2.39 mg/day (control), 1.12 mm & 2.90 mg/day (Ethylestrenol treated), and 1.10 mm & 2.57 mg/day (Stanozolol treated) in case of Rohu spawn. A decrease in the values of Relative Condition Factor upon hormone administration was also noticed

Estimation of fishing mortality and migration coefficient of the fishery of juvenile Macrobrachium rosenbergii from Kalu River in Maharashtra

The freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii breeds in estuaries and the juveniles after completion of their larval stage start their upward migration towards rivers. It is at this stage fishing of juveniles takes place in river mouths. Kalu River near Titwala, in Maharashtra is estimated based on data presented by Indulkar and Shirgur (1995) for 1991 and 1992 fishing seasons. The fishing mortality was estimated to be 1.50 and 1.28 for a fishing season of 3 months in 1991 and 1992 respectively, while the migration coefficient was computed to be 3.53 during the fishing season. As the average exploitation rate during the study period was only 0.24, the juveniles are not heavily fished and there is a scope for almost doubling the present catch to about 4 million seeds per fishing season

Field application of anabolic steroids in carp seed production. Pt. 1. Rearing of fry to fingerling stage

Ethylestrenol (17β Hydroxy-17alpha-ethyl-estr-4-en-3-one) and Stanozolal (17β-Hydroxy-17alpha-methyl 1-5 alpha-androstano-(3,2-C)-pyrazole), both synthetic androgenic steroids, were fed via diet at 3ppm to the fry of catla, rohu and silver carp which were reared up to fingerling stage over a period of 167-172 days in earthen ponds. Ethylestrenol enhanced growth in silver carp and rohu but retarded growth in catla. Stanozolal depressed growth in all the 3 species. Length-weight relationship for these fry had been worked out and the relative condition factor in all the cases was very close to or slightly above 1.0

Accurate on-chip measurement of the Seebeck coefficient of high mobility small molecule organic semiconductors

We present measurements of the Seebeck coefficient in two high mobility organic small molecules, 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) and 2,9-didecyl-dinaphtho[2,3-b:2′,3′-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (C10-DNTT). The measurements are performed in a field effect transistor structure with high field effect mobilities of approximately 3 cm2/V s. This allows us to observe both the charge concentration and temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient. We find a strong logarithmic dependence upon charge concentration and a temperature dependence within the measurement uncertainty. Despite performing the measurements on highly polycrystalline evaporated films, we see an agreement in the Seebeck coefficient with modelled values from Shi et al. [Chem. Mater. 26, 2669 (2014)] at high charge concentrations. We attribute deviations from the model at lower charge concentrations to charge trapping.We gratefully acknowledge funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from AIP Publishing via http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.493175

Bioactivity of epidermal secretion of two marine catfish from Mumbai

Crude mucus and its partially purified fractions from two marine catfish from Mumbai, Arius dussumieri and Osteogeneiosus militaris were assayed for their crinotoxicity through assays for hemolysis and haemagglutination of chicken erythrocytes, formation of paw edema in mice, and antibacterial activity against one gram-positive and four gram-negative bacteria. Assays were also done to block the edema using Phineramine maleate, Piroxicam, and Atropine sulfate. Crude toxin as well as their fractions from both the fishes exhibited haemolytic and haemagglutinating activities on chicken blood, besides edematous activity in mice models. The edematous activity was blocked by Phineramine maleate and Piroxicam but enhanced by Atropine sulfate; however, all these activities, either blocking or enhancing, were statistically insignificant. Antibacterial activity was absent in all the extracts tested

Relative condition factor and food and feeding habits of two ariid catfish from Mumbai waters

Condition factor based on length-weight relationship and food and feeding habits of Arius dussumieri (Black lip sea catfish) and Osteogeneiosus militaris (Soldier catfish) from the Mumbai coast have been studied. Relative Condition Factor showed variations on a monthly basis, and appear to be influenced by feeding and breeding activities. Both the species studied are carnivorous bottom feeders, with crustaceans followed by other smaller fishes forming the major food item in the gut contents

Length-weight relationship and condition factor of Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Meretrix meretrix (Linnaeus, 1758) from Mumbai waters

Length weight relationship of the two commercially important molluscs P. viridis and M. meretrix was found to be W=-0.40263L super(2.044719) & W=-0.04359L super(2.2315498) respectively. Condition factor was recorded to be less than 1.0 for most part of the year in P. viridis and for M. meretrix it ranged from 0.39 to 4.61. The present study reveals that there was allometric growth in both the species and the growth was not satisfactory since it showed lower K-value during most part of the year

On some toxinological aspects of the starfish Stellaster equestris (Retzius, 1805)

Whole-body extracts in methanol were obtained from the starfish Stellaster equestris. The crude toxin was fractionated stepwise using diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) cellulose column chromatography. The crude toxin was lethal to male albino mice at a dose of 1.00 mL (containing 531.0 µg/mL protein) when injected intraperitoneally (IP) but the toxicity was abolished in all cases except one upon fractionation. The crude toxin and all the adsorbed fractions exhibited potent hemolytic activity on chicken, goat and human blood. However, group B human erythrocytes were resistant to lysis by all fractions and group O by most of the fractions. Paw edema in mice was caused by the crude toxin and all fractions. Pheniramine maleate and piroxicam blocked the toxicity when administered earlier than, or along with, the crude or fractionated toxins but not when administered after the envenomation. Pretreatment with either of these drugs also blocked edema formation

Ascorbic acid turnover in the ocular tissues of some fishes

The ascorbic acid turnover from the ocular tissues of 11 species of fishes from a culture pond and the river Godavari (Andhra Pradesh, India) has been studied. The free ascorbic acid and ascorbigen contents were more in the case of bottom or deep dwelling fishes and the least in the case of surface living forms, depending upon the light penetration in the area that each species inhabits. The enzymic utilization and ascorbic acid-macromolecule complex varied among the fishes possibly depending upon individual energy requirements and not upon light intensity. No size-related or sex-related variation was observed. No variation was observed between riverine and pond-reared fishes of the same species

Seebeck coefficient in organic semiconductors

When a temperature differential is applied across a semiconductor, a thermal voltage develops across it in response. The ratio of this thermal voltage to the applied temperature differential is the Seebeck coefficient, a transport coefficient that complements measurements of electrical and thermal conductivity. The physical interpretation of the Seebeck coefficient is the entropy per charge carrier divided by its charge and is hence a direct measurement of the carrier entropy in the solid state. This PhD thesis has three major outcomes. The first major outcome is a demonstration of how the Seebeck coefficient can be used as a tool to quantify the role of energetic disorder in organic semiconductors. To this end, a microfabricated chip was designed to perform accurate measurements of the Seebeck coefficient within the channel of the active layer in a field-effect transistor (FET). When measured within an FET, the Seebeck coefficient can be modulated using the gate electrode. The extent to which the Seebeck coefficient is modulated gives a clear idea of charge carrier trapping and the distribution of the density of states within the organic semiconductor. The second major outcome of this work is the observation that organic semiconducting polymers show Seebeck coefficients that are temperature independent and strongly gate voltage modulated. The extent to which the Seebeck coefficient is modulated in the polymer PBTTT is found to be larger than that in the polymer IDTBT. Taken together with conventional charge transport measurements on IDTBT, the voltage modulated Seebeck coefficient confirms the existence of a vanishingly small energetic disorder in this material. In the third and final outcome of this thesis, the magnitude of the Seebeck coefficient is shown to be larger for organic small molecules as compared to organic polymers. The basis for this is not yet clear. There are reports that such an observation is substantiated through a larger contribution from vibrational entropy that adds to the so called entropy-of-mixing contribution so as to boost the magnitude of the Seebeck coefficient in organic small molecules. As of now, this remains an open question and is a potential starting point for future work. The practical implications of this PhD thesis lie in building cost-effective and environmentally friendly waste-heat to useful energy converters based on organic polymers. The efficiency of heat to energy conversion by organic polymers tends to be higher than that for conventional semiconductors owing to the presence of narrow bands in organic polymer semiconductors