Studies on the performance of Ovatide on breeding of Indian major carps

The paper deals with the experimental studies on breeding of Indian Major Carps - Catla catla (Valenciennes), Labeo rohita (Hamilton), Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton), & Labeo calbasu (Hamilton) with the help of 'Ovatide' which is being used as an alternative inducing agent for commercial seed production. This study has been conducted for six consecutive months (April - September, 2000) in a stone-pitched breeding channels of a farm located at Midnapore District, West Bengal. The doses of 'Ovatide' (0.5 ml/kg of fish weight) remained same for each female species during the entire study period and males were released without any dose. The physicochemical parameters of water during different months were estimated. The latency period and fertilization percentage varied in different months and species. The results confirmed that 'Ovatide' can be used successfully in a much more cost-effective way for induced breeding of carps, even in rural fish farms with morrum-pitched breeding channels.

Effects of physiological doses of vitamin D sub(3) (Cholecalciferol) on induced molting and growth in giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man)

Effects of three different doses of vitamin D sub(3) on molting, growth, and calcium and phosphate composition of tissue and molt during the grow-out of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (average weight 10.56 ± 0.20 g), obtained from a grow-out pond, were studied. Intramuscular doses of vitamin D sub(3) (100, 500 and 2000 IU/kg body weight) were given on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th days. All the experimental animals were fed with a basal diet containing fish meal, shrimp meal, wheat flour, groundnut de-oiled cake, soybean meal and wheat bran at 3% of the body weight. The numbers of molts were recorded as 20±0.50, 29±1.16, 51±1.87, and 30±1.60 in control, 100, 500 and 2000 IU/kg body weight physiological doses, respectively. Maximum growth was recorded in prawns given 500 IU/ kg dose. Survival was between 58.33 ± 9.13 and 77.77 ± 8.61%. The ash content and calcium level increased significantly (p<0.05) and recorded the highest values in 500 IU/kg physiological dose. However, the inorganic phosphate (P sub(i)) content recorded the highest values in tissue in 2000 IU/kg dose (p<0.05, F = 50.60613). There is no significant difference in calcium contents (p>0.05) in both tissue and molt at 500 and 2000 IU/kg doses. It was found that a higher physiological dose (2000 IU/kg) of vitamin D sub(3) increased the rate of mortality. Results have shown that vitamin D sub(3) has a positive impact on the growth and survival of M. rosenbergii and it interferes with the metabolism of Ca and P sub(i), in tissue, and alters molting frequency. Results on physiological dose suggest an alternative and effective dietary supplementation method of vitamin D sub(3) in the grow-out phase of M. rosenbergii.

几种芸苔属种子超干的效果及其超微结构和生理生化方面的研究

本文以几种芸苔属种子为材料，经过超干处理后，发芽力和活力基本不受影响，耐藏性大为提高。若干生理生化研究结果表明，超干后及老化后种子的脱氢酶、SOD、过氧化物酶、过氧化氢酶、Na+ - k+ ATP酶等酶系统保持完好，丙二醛和挥发性醛类物质释放量等劣变产物相应减少;SEM和TEM的电镜观察结果表明，细胞超微结构及功能保持完善。生理生化和细胞学的系列试验依据证明超干贮藏对这几种种子是行之有效的，而且是安全的方法。通过不同干燥方法及不同干燥剂进行比较实验，已找到以生石灰为干燥剂的最经济有效的干燥方法。本文还就超干机理及超干技术在种质资源保存工作中的应用前景进行了初步探讨。

Results of the Austrian-Ceylonese hydrobiological mission 1970 of the 1st Zoological Institute of the University of Vienna (Austria) and the Department of Zoology of the University of Ceylon, Vidyalankara Campus, Kelaniya. Pt. 14. The freshwater crabs of the Ceylonese mountain rivers

The report deals with the material on freshwater crabs, collected by the Austrian-Ceylonese hydrobiological mission 1970 from the running waters of the mountains in south-west Ceylon. The locality records for Paratelphusa (Oziotelphusa) senex (Fabricius 1798) Paratelphusa (Ceylontelphusa) sorror (Zehntner 1894) and Paratelphusa (Ceylontelphusa) rugosa (Kingsley 1880), are described.

The unsteady development of a turbulent wake through a downstream low-pressure turbine blade passage

This paper presents two-dimensional LDA measurements of the convection of a wake through a low-pressure (LP) turbine cascade. Previous studies have shown the wake convection to be kinematic but have not provided details of the turbulent field. The spatial resolution of these measurements has facilitated the calculation of the production of turbulent kinetic energy and this has revealed a mechanism for turbulence production as the wake converts through the bladerow. The measured ensemble-averaged velocity field confirmed the previously reported kinematics of wake convection while the measurements of the turbulence quantities showed the wake fluid to be characterised by elevated levels of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and to have an anisotropic structure. Based on the measured mean and turbulence quantities, the production of turbulent kinetic energy was calculated. This highlighted a TKE production mechanism that resulted in increased levels of turbulence over the rear suction surface where boundary layer transition occurs. The turbulence production mechanism within the bladerow was also observed to produce more nearly isotropic turbulence. Production occurs when the principal stresses within the wake are aligned with the mean strains. This coincides with the maximum distortion of the wake within the blade passage and provides a mechanism for the production of turbulence outside of the boundary layer.

Chromosome painting between human and lorisiform prosimians: Evidence for the HSA 7/16 Synteny in the primate ancestral karyotype

Multidirectional chromosome painting with probes derived from flow-sorted chromosomes of humans (Homo sapiens, HSA, 2n = 46) and galagos (Galago moholi, GMO, 2n = 38) allowed us to map evolutionarily conserved chromosomal segments among humans, galagos, a

Identification and molecular cloning of a novel neuromedin U analog from the skin secretions of toad Bombina maxima

Amphibian skin contains rich neuropeptides. In the present study, a novel neuromedin U (NmU) analog was isolated from skin secretions of Chinese red belly Load Bombina maxima. Being 17-amino acids long, its primary structure was established as DSSGIVGRPFFLFRPRN-NH2, in which the C-terminal 8-residue segment (FFLFRPRN) is the same as that of rat NmU, while the N-terminal part DSSGIVGRP shows a great sequence variation compared with those of NmU peptides from different resources. The peptide, named Bm-NmU-17, was found to elicit concentration-dependent contractile effects on smooth muscle of rat uterus horns. The cDNA Structure of the peptide, as obtained by a 3'-RACE strategy and subsequently cloning from a skin cDNA library, was found to contain a coding region of 438 nucleotides. The encoded precursor is composed of 145 amino acids with a single copy of Bm-NmU-17 located towards the C-terminus. The sequence of the peptide is preceded by a dibasic site (Lys-Arg) and followed by the sequence of Gly-Arg-Lys, providing the sites of cleavage and releasing of the mature peptide. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disease problems in shrimp sector in Khulna district of Bangladesh: a question of sustainability

Disease is the main restraining factor for the development of shrimp sector in Bangladesh. Both brackish water shrimp bagda (Penaeus monodon) and freshwater prawn golda, (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) farming in Bangladesh have been facing disease problem. A study on disease outbreak in both brackish water and freshwater small-scale shrimp farms (gher) in Khulna district was carried out through interviewing randomly selected 3-5% of shrimp farmers with a structured questionnaire during March to December, 2002. The study showed that 97% bagda farming ghers and 80% golda farming ghers were affected by disease. White spot disease was the severe disease for bagda, whereas, antenna rot was the main disease for freshwater prawn. Change of water and liming were carried out as control measures of disease for bagda shrimp farming, while it was only liming for golda farming. A small number of shrimp farmers (15%) used chemicals for treatment of shrimp diseases. Development of suitable farming technology to prevent disease contamination and innovation of proper treatments for diseases are required to overcome the disease problems for sustainable shrimp farming in Bangladesh.

Morphological, biochemical and growth characteristics of Serratia strains isolated from sardine (Sardinella longiceps)

Two aerobic, gram-negative asporogenous, red-pigmented, rod-shaped bacterial strains were isolated from oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps). Their morphological, biochemical and growth characteristics are reported. The pigment was identified to be a prodigiosene. The strains were found to resemble Serratia plymuthica. Effect of temperature and certain carbohydrates on pigmentation was also studied. Iron was found to inhibit pigmentation, and mannitol or sorbitol removed such inhibition.

Molecular phylogenetic systematics of twelve species of acipenseriformes based on mtDNA ND4L-ND4 gene sequence analysis

Acipenseriformes is an endangered primitive fish group, which occupies a special place in the history of ideas concerning fish evolution, even in vertebrate evolution. However, the classification and evolution of the fishes have been debated. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) ND4L and partial ND4 genes were first sequenced in twelve species of the order Acipenseriformes, including endemic Chinese species. The following points were drawn from DNA sequences analysis: (i) the two species of Huso can be ascribed to Acipenser; (ii) A. dabryanus is the mostly closely related to A. sinensis, and most likely the landlocked form of A. sinensis; (iii) genus Acipenser in trans-Pacific region might have a common origin; (iv) mtDNA ND4L and ND4 genes are the ideal genetic markers for phylogenetic analysis of the order Acipenseriformes.

Comparative study of the nutrient content of fish and shell fish

The amino acid, mineral and proximate composition of mullet (Mugil oeur), mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta), crab (Scylla serrata) and prawn (Penaeus indicus) are reported. The data are used for comparing the nutritional quality of the fish and shell fish. Further, the amino acid composition is screened for their adequacy to meet the FAO/WHO recommended pattern of essential amino acids.

Frozen storage studies of composite fish mince drom dhooma (Sciaenid sp.) and lactarius (Lactarius lactarius)

Fish minces from dhoma and lactarius were mixed in the ratio of 40:60 respectively, and quick frozen along with individual minces at -40°C and stored at -20°C. Shelf life was evaluated by following biochemical, physical and organoleptic changes occurred during storage up to 44 weeks. Rapid decreases were noted in water soluble nitrogen and salt soluble nitrogen fractions during the initial period of 16 weeks. A good correlation was observed between changes in salt-soluble nitrogen and organoleptic evaluation. The minces were in good and acceptable condition up to 32 weeks of storage.

Training needs of traditional marine fishermen in Kerala

Training needs of 80 fishermen in 25 subject areas revealed a mean training need score of 23.0l; 95% wanted to get trained. The training needs were fairly strong in all subject areas, with the highest demand being for fishery engineering. Training need was also high for areas related to fishery technology. Most of the fishermen preferred to have the training at their own village, and in the months of June or July for an average period of 20.85 days. Education and income were positively related to intensity of training needs whereas age, number of family members, number of employed family members and experience in fishing were negatively correlated with it. These six variables explained 27 of the variance in training need intensity.

Growth performance evaluation of genetically improved silver barb (Barbonymus gonionotus Bleeker) in different agro-ecological zones in Bangladesh

On farm trials of silver barb with other carps were carried out in 40 ponds during May to October 2005 in four agro-ecological zones viz., Trishal, Muktagacha, Parbotipur and Paikgacha in Bangladesh. In Trishal and Muktagacha zones, ponds were stocked with silver barb, silver carp and common carp at the stocking density of 11,500 fish/ha, whereas in Parbotipur and Paikgacha zones, ponds were stocked with silver barb, rohu, catla and mrigal at the stocking density of 10,000/ha. Among the ponds, 50% (20 ponds) were stocked with BFRI improved stock of silver barb (Treatment-1) and rest of the 20 ponds stocked with local silver barb stock (Treatment-2). The harvest weight of BFRI improved silver barb were 149±16.01, 168±18.06, 198±14 and 230±9.25g in Trishal, Muktagacha, Paikgacha and Parbotipur, whereas the data obtained at 113±15.52, 136±20.66, 170±17.0 and 205±12.10g for local stock of silver barb, respectively. In all trials, the harvest weight of BFRI improved stock showed significantly higher growth performance (P<0.05) over the local stocks.

Velleratretraol, an unusual highly functionalized lactarane sesquiterpene from Lactarius vellereus

An unusual highly functionalized lactarane sesquiterpene, named velleratretraol (1), was isolated from the ethanol extract of the fruiting body of the mushroom Lactarius vellereus. Its structure was determined through spectroscopic analysis and single-cry