Review paper on the production trials of rice-cum fish culture - a transferable concept into Niger State, Nigeria

This paper reviews the production trials of rice-cum-fish culture. Rice and various fish species using rotation and concurrent methods of cultivation are used. The farming system is mostly practiced and researched in to in Southeast Asian countries. It addresses the problems of high external inputs, sustainable aquaculture, poverty and nutrition in the rural population, insect pests, use of insecticides, weeds control and under-utilization of agricultural lands. The production trials yields are summarized and a summary of annual income per hectare from rice and fish have been given. The yield however depends to a large extent on the species stocked, culture period, fertility of the soil and water, degree of supplemental feeding and culturing methods. The production results are discussed. Niger state is blessed with abundant wetlands/rice fields suitable for the practice. However, ecological differences from country to country and region to region, research and development trials are necessary to ensure a successful adoption of the technology to farmers in the State

A indústria do conhecimento, o médico e a indústria farmacêutica: uma coprodução de técnicos e técnicas de poder

Este estudo abordou o contexto de uma engrenagem macropolítica, na qual o poder dominante (representado pela indústria farmacêutica) se articula à indústria do conhecimento, condicionando construção e divulgação de conhecimento biomédico à mesma lógica da produção e distribuição capitalista de mercadorias. A indústria farmacêutica tem investido em projetos de pesquisas clínicas, com o objetivo de legitimar, cientificamente, seus produtos. A investigação deste papel financiador de ensaios clínicos baseou-se nos depoimentos de quatro médicos, professores de Medicina, coparticipantes de projetos da indústria farmacêutica. Os resultados evidenciaram que os protocolos das pesquisas são elaborados pela própria indústria, sem participação do médico colaborador; o acesso à íntegra dos dados coletados é de exclusividade dos coordenadores centrais da pesquisa; e, os resultados dos ensaios, apresentados através de resumos, são previamente submetidos a critérios de seleção de dados. Com o objetivo de articular saber médico a expectativas de mercado, o poder dominante se exerce através de técnicas de poder (estratégias de marketing), atribuindo aos médicos o papel de técnicos de poder, a serviço de seus interesses. Essa relativização de valores clama por uma crítica revisão ética.

Analysis of permanent magnets as elasmobranch bycatch reduction devices in hook-and-line and longline trials

Previous studies indicate that elasmobranch fishes (sharks, skates and rays) detect the Earth’s geomagnetic field by indirect magnetoreception through electromagnetic induction, using their ampullae of Lorenzini. Applying this concept, we evaluated the capture of elasmobranchs in the presence of permanent magnets in hook-and-line and inshore longline fishing experiments. Hooks with neodymium-iron-boron magnets significantly reduced the capture of elasmobranchs overall in comparison with control and procedural control hooks in the hook-and-line experiment. Catches of Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) and smooth dogfish (Mustelus canis) were signif icantly reduced with magnetic hook-and-line treatments, whereas catches of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and clearnose skate (Raja eglanteria) were not. Longline hooks with barium-ferrite magnets significantly reduced total elasmobranch capture when compared with control hooks. In the longline study, capture of blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) and southern stingrays (Dasyatis americana) was reduced on magnetic hooks, whereas capture of sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus) was not affected. Teleosts, such as red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau), black sea bass (Centropristis striata), and the bluefish (Pomatomas saltatrix), showed no hook preference in either hook-and-line or longline studies. These results indicate that permanent magnets, although eliciting species-specific capture trends, warrant further investigation in commercial longline and recreational fisheries, where bycatch mortality is a leading contributor to declines in elasmobranch populations.

Integrating fish into seasonally flooded rice fields: on-farm trials in Assam, India

In the State of Assam, floodplains cover 2.6 million ha of area that is traditionally rice growing. The ecosystem in the rice-growing areas has undergone major changes as a result of various developmental activities and adoption of modern farming technology. Rice fields were once the major source of fish for the rural farmers. There has been a sharp decline in fish population in rice field leading to a chronic shortage of fish in the State and a deterioration of the rice ecosystem. This paper describes two on-farm experiments for integrating rice cultivation and fish production with the intent of contributing to the understanding of how raising fish can improve rice yields, riceecosystems and farm incomes.

Freshwater prawn farming trials in Bangladesh

Details are given of pond trials conducted in Bangladesh regarding the culture of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii ). Integrated rice and prawn farming systems were also experimented and results indicated that the prawn could be a suitable species for such integration. Such systems, pond or integrated, are suggested to be best practiced in the southeastern and southwestern areas of the country where there is tidal water exchange and post-larvae are naturally available.

On-farm trials with rice fish cultivation in the west Kano rice irrigation scheme, Kenya

The viability of integrating rice farming with fish culture was studied in ten (10) rice plots. The on-farm research was done during one rice-growing season starting May 2003. The rice variety used was IR 2793-80-1 while the fish species was the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. The fish culture period lasted 77 days. An average fish production of 132.4 kg/ha was obtained. The mean recovery rate of tilapia was 43 per cent. Total rice yield from the fields stocked with fish was lower than from unstocked fields. The net returns were not significantly different.

Desenvolvimento de interfaces gráficas para estatística Bayesiana aplicada à comparação mista de tratamentos

A partir dos avanços obtidos pela industria farmacêutica surgiram diversos medicamentos para o combate de enfermidades. Esses medicamentos possuem efeito tópico similar porém com suaves modificações em sua estrutura bioquímica, com isso a concorrência entre as industrias farmacêuticas se torna cada vez mais acirrada. Como forma de comparar a efetividade desses medicamentos, surgem diversas metodologias, com o objetivo de encontrar qual seria o melhor medicamento para uma dada situação. Uma das metodologias estudadas é a comparação mista de tratamentos, cujo objetivo é encontrar a efetividade de determinadas drogas em estudos e/ou ensaios clínicos que abordem, mesmo que de maneira indireta, os medicamentos estudados. A utilização dessa metodologia é demasiadamente complexa pois requer conhecimento de linguagens de programação em ambientes estatísticos além do domínio sobre as metodologias aplicadas a essa técnica. O objetivo principal desse estudo é a criação de uma interface gráfica que facilite a utilização do MTC para usuários que não possuam conhecimento em linguagens de programação, que seja de código aberto e multiplataforma. A expectativa é que, com essa interface, a utilização de técnicas mais abrangentes e avançadas seja facilitada, além disso, venha tornar o ensinamento sobre o tema mais facilitado para pessoas que ainda não conhecem o método