Studies on Energy Requirement and Conservation in Selected Fish Harvesting Systems

Present work deals with the studies on energy requirement and convervation in selected fish harvesting systems.Modem fishing is one of the most energy intensive methods of food production. Fossil fuels used for motorised and mechanised fishing are nonrenewable and limited. Most of the environmental problems that confront mankind today are connected to the use of energy in one way or another. Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (FAO, 1995) highlights the need for efficient use of energy in the fisheries sector. Information on energy requirement in different fish harvesting systems, based on the principles of energy analysis, is entirely lacking in respect of Indian fisheries. Such an analysis will provide an unbiased decision making support for maximising the yield per unit of non-renewable energy use, from different fishery resource systems, by rational deployment of harvesting systems. In the present study, results of investigations conducted during 1997-2000 on energy requirement in selected fish harvesting systems and approaches to energy conservation in fishing, are presented along with a detailed description of the fish harvesting systems and their operation. The content of the thesis is organised into 8 Chapters.

Exporting Culture: a Requirement for Competitive Internationalization*

his paper proposes a concept of “culture for internationalization” and “exporting culture” –a highly relevant concept for developing countries’ firms that are likely to follow a gradualinternationalization process– based on the strong relationship binding the concept proposed to strategy and systemic competitiveness. These three items are paramount to Understand the conditions underlying internationalizationas it is characterized by particular traits that make it a key alternative for a firm’s growth and successful perdurability based on competitiveness. “Culture for internationalization” and its variation, “exporting culture”, overflow the conceptsof organizational or corporate culture and involve some major interaction among the micro, meso and macro levels of a national economy in order to operationalize strategies thatpromote such culture and assure successful firm and economy internationalization. Discussion remains open as to the concept and its applicability with the hope that it contributesto the understanding and creation of appropriate conditions for firms to be able to access international markets with greater advantage and generate as much benefit as possible totheir nations, particularly in developing countries. 

The maintenance requirement of domestic drakes

1. Mature domestic drakes of 7 genotypes, ranging in live weight from 1.1to 5.1 kg, were each given a daily allowance of feed just below the level of recorded ad libitum intake. 2. House temperature was maintained at 26 degrees C for 16 weeks and then at 10 degrees C for a further 8 weeks. 3. Under these conditions, live weight quickly adjusted to the level of feed supplied and then remained stable. 4. Regression of metabolisable energy intake on live weight (W) yielded estimates of maintenance requirement of 583 kJ/kg W-0.75 center dot d at 10 degrees C and 523 kJ/kg W-0.75 center dot d at 26 degrees C.

Predicting the profile of nutrients available for absorption: from nutrient requirement to animal response and environmental impact

Current feed evaluation systems for dairy cattle aim to match nutrient requirements with nutrient intake at pre-defined production levels. These systems were not developed to address, and are not suitable to predict, the responses to dietary changes in terms of production level and product composition, excretion of nutrients to the environment, and nutrition related disorders. The change from a requirement to a response system to meet the needs of various stakeholders requires prediction of the profile of absorbed nutrients and its subsequent utilisation for various purposes. This contribution examines the challenges to predicting the profile of nutrients available for absorption in dairy cattle and provides guidelines for further improved prediction with regard to animal production responses and environmental pollution. The profile of nutrients available for absorption comprises volatile fatty acids, long-chain fatty acids, amino acids and glucose. Thus the importance of processes in the reticulo-rumen is obvious. Much research into rumen fermentation is aimed at determination of substrate degradation rates. Quantitative knowledge on rates of passage of nutrients out of the rumen is rather limited compared with that on degradation rates, and thus should be an important theme in future research. Current systems largely ignore microbial metabolic variation, and extant mechanistic models of rumen fermentation give only limited attention to explicit representation of microbial metabolic activity. Recent molecular techniques indicate that knowledge on the presence and activity of various microbial species is far from complete. Such techniques may give a wealth of information, but to include such findings in systems predicting the nutrient profile requires close collaboration between molecular scientists and mathematical modellers on interpreting and evaluating quantitative data. Protozoal metabolism is of particular interest here given the paucity of quantitative data. Empirical models lack the biological basis necessary to evaluate mitigation strategies to reduce excretion of waste, including nitrogen, phosphorus and methane. Such models may have little predictive value when comparing various feeding strategies. Examples include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier II models to quantify methane emissions and current protein evaluation systems to evaluate low protein diets to reduce nitrogen losses to the environment. Nutrient based mechanistic models can address such issues. Since environmental issues generally attract more funding from governmental offices, further development of nutrient based models may well take place within an environmental framework.

Mutation in TERMINAL FLOWER1 reverses the photoperiodic requirement for flowering in the wild strawberry, Fragaria vesca

Photoperiodic flowering has been extensively studied in the annual short-day and long-day plants rice and Arabidopsis while less is known about the control of flowering in perennials. In the perennial wild strawberry, Fragaria vesca L. (Rosaceae), short-day and perpetual flowering long-day accessions occur. Genetic analyses showed that differences in their flowering responses are caused by a single gene, the SEASONAL FLOWERING LOCUS which may encode the F. vesca homolog of TERMINAL FLOWER1 (FvTFL1). We show through high-resolution mapping and transgenic approaches that FvTFL1 is the basis of this change in flowering behavior and demonstrate that FvTFL1 acts as a photoperiodically regulated repressor. In short-day F. vesca, long photoperiods activate FvTFL1 mRNA expression and short days suppress it, promoting flower induction. These seasonal cycles in FvTFL1 mRNA level confer seasonal cycling of vegetative and reproductive development. Mutations in FvTFL1 prevent LD suppression of flowering, and the early flowering that then occurs under LD is dependent on the F. vesca homolog of FLOWERING LOCUS T. This photoperiodic response mechanism differs from those described in model annual plants. We suggest that this mechanism controls flowering within the perennial growth cycle in F. vesca, and demonstrate that a change in a single gene reverses the photoperiodic requirements for flowering.

Modeling requirement driven architecture of adaptive healthcare system based on semiotics

In order to improve the quality of healthcare services, the integrated large-scale medical information system is needed to adapt to the changing medical environment. In this paper, we propose a requirement driven architecture of healthcare information system with hierarchical architecture. The system operates through the mapping mechanism between these layers and thus can organize functions dynamically adapting to user’s requirement. Furthermore, we introduce the organizational semiotics methods to capture and analyze user’s requirement through ontology chart and norms. Based on these results, the structure of user’s requirement pattern (URP) is established as the driven factor of our system. Our research makes a contribution to design architecture of healthcare system which can adapt to the changing medical environment.

Optimal frame length for keeping normalized goodput with lowest requirement on BER

This paper presents an adaptive frame length mechanism based on a cross-layer analysis of intrinsic relations between the MAC frame length, bit error rate (BER) of the wireless link and normalized goodput. The proposed mechanism selects the optimal frame length that keeps the service normalized goodput at required levels while satisfying the lowest requirement on the BER, thus increasing the transmission reliability. Numerical results are provided and show that an optimal frame length satisfying the lowest BER requirement does indeed exist. The performance of BER requirement as a function of the MAC frame length is evaluated and compared for transmission scenarios with and without automatic repeat request (ARQ). Furthermore, issues related to the MAC overhead length are also discussed to illuminate the functionality and performance of the proposed mechanism.

The Article 51 reporting requirement for self-defense actions

This article examines one legal criterion for the exercise of the right of self-defense that has been significantly overlooked by commentators: the so-called “reporting requirement.” Article 51 of the United Nations (UN) Charter provides, inter alia, that “[m]easures taken by members in the exercise of this right of self-defense shall be immediately reported to the Security Council.” Although the requirement to report all self-defense actions to the Council is clearly set out in Article 51, the Charter offers no further guidance with regard to this obligation. Reference to the practice of states since the UN’s inception in 1945 is therefore essential to understanding the scope and nature of the reporting requirement. As such, this article is underpinned by an extensive original dataset of reporting practice covering the period from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2013. We know from Article 51 that states “shall” report, but do they, and—if so—in what manner? What are the various implications of reporting, of failing to report, and of the way in which states report? How are reports used, and by whom? Most importantly, this article questions the ultimate value of states reporting their self-defense actions to the Security Council in modern interstate relations.

Differential kinase requirement for enhancement of Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis in alveolar macrophages by leukotriene B(4) vs. D(4)

In alveolar macrophages, leukotriene (IT) B(4) and cysteinyl LTs (LTC(4), LTD(4) and LTE(4)) both enhance Fc gamma receptor (Fc gamma R)-mediated phagocytosis. In the present study we investigated the role of specific PKC isoforms (PKC-alpha and -delta), the MAP kinases p38 and ERK 1/2, and PI3K in mediating the potentiation of Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis induced by addition of leukotrienes to the AMs. It was found that exogenously added LTB(4) and LTD(4) both enhanced PKC-delta and -alpha phosphorylation during Fc gamma R engagement. Studies with isoform-selective inhibitors indicated that exogenous LTB(4) effects were dependent on both PKC-alpha and -delta, while LTD(4) effects were exclusively due to PKC-delta activation. Although both exogenous LTB(4) and LTD(4) enhanced p38 and ERK 1/2 activation, LTB(4) required only ERK 1/2, while LTD(4) required only p38 activation. Activation by both LTs was dependent on PI3K activation. Effects of endogenous LTs on kinase activation were also investigated using selective LT receptor antagonists. Endogenous LTB(4) contributed to Fc gamma R-mediated activation of PKC-alpha, ERK 1/2 and PI3K, while endogenous cysLTs contributes to activation of PKC-delta, p38 and PI3K. Taken together, our data show that the capacities of LTB(4) and LTD(4) to enhance Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis reflect their differential activation of specific kinase programs. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.