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TVFA Estimation in Blood
(Method of Friedemann, 1938 modified by Mc Anally, 1944)

A method for the determination of volatile fatty acids in various biological materials has been described by Friedemann (1938) which is said to be applicable to blood, then the blood is added to dilute sulphuric acid, then sodium tungstate solution and solid magnesium sulphate are added and the whole is steam distilled.

Reagents
    1.    Saturated magnesium sulphate solution to which has been added 2.5 per cent by volume of concentrated sulphuric acid.

ABSTRACT

Protoplast isolation in orchids is considered to be a valuable tool for introduction of desirable traits through somatic cell fusion. The present work on the protoplast in Dendrobium var.sonia is undertaken with a view to standardize protocol for isolation and regeneration. Tender leaf mesophyll tissues of one-month-old Dendrobium var.sonia were used as explant for protoplast isolation. The leaf tissues were treated with enzyme mixture of cellulase 1per cent (Onozuka -R from Trichoderma viride) and macerase 0.25per cent (from Aspergillus niger) for 16 hours. Protoplast from the Dendrobium var. sonia was successfully isolated and regeneration of shoots and roots were obtained in MS medium containing BA 5mg l^-1+NAA 1mg l^-1.The plantlets were hardened in a span of five months.

Morphological characteristics

It is an annual/perennial herb with prostrate spreading branches in all directions. The root system is deep. Leaflets are 2.5-5 cm long, elliptical, oblong and rounded at base. Leaves are densely clothed with white appressed and long spreading hairs. In nature, seedlings appear after 2-3 showers during July-August. Generally, the seedlings are abundant under the canopy of trees or shrubs. The young seedling grows straight and produces lateral branches during first week of August. The lateral branches spread in all directions. The flowering starts during first week of August. Fruit formation takes place in the last week of August, while flowering still continues. The dispersal of the seeds takes place from September to December. Plant dries during November-December.

Floral characteristics

Flowers are blue in colour and axillary in position. They are either solitary or in pairs on the long stalk. Styles are two and each is bifid. Fruit is globose with four-valved capsule containing dark brown to black smooth seeds. The flower colour varies from dark purple to whitish-purple.

Distribution

Plant is commonly found growing in open and grassy places, almost throughout India, ascending upto 1500 meter in the Himalayas. It is cultivated also in the sub-tropical parts of India, ascending upto 1800 meter elevation.

Traveling with your dog can be a delightful experience, whether you're embarking on a road trip, flying to a distant destination, or simply visiting friends and family. However, it requires careful planning and preparation to ensure your dog's safety, comfort, and well-being. This guide covers the essential aspects of traveling with your dog, providing tips and best practices for a smooth journey.

Preparing for the Journey

Health Check and Documentation

1. Veterinary Check-up: Before any trip, schedule a visit to the vet to ensure your dog is healthy and up-to-date on vaccinations. Discuss any travel-specific health concerns with your vet.

2. Documentation: Carry a copy of your dog’s medical records, including vaccination certificates, in case they are needed during your trip. Some destinations require proof of rabies vaccination and other health certifications.

This group includes a large number of bony fishes in which the primary upper and lower jaws are supplemented by the addition of membrane bones which forms secondary jaws. Hence they are called as teleostomi or perfect mouthed fishes.

All major groups of fresh water fishes lived successfully and flourished during the Devonian period which is also called as the “Age of fishes”. Teleostomii are characterized by a unique mechanism of opening the mouth by lowering the mandible through hyoid apparatus, therefore the skull is hyostylic or the amphistylic. Presence of an ossified operculum, an interhyal bone and the branchiostegal rays are the diagnostic features of this group.

Seed Priming is the process of controlled hydration of seeds to a level that permits pre-germinative metabolic actively to proceed, but prevents actual emergence of the radical. It is done to increase the speed and uniformity of germination particularly under adverse conditions of temperature, moisture and salinity conditions. In this condition, seeds go through all the essential preparatory processes of germination but prevent cell elongation and radical emergence. During the waiting period at the osmotic barrier the ‘slower’ seeds tend to catch up with the ‘faster ones’ so that the subsequent germination is more uniform, than that of untreated seeds. The duration of priming varies with the crop as well as method of priming such that priming is allowed for I and II stage of seed imbibitions without allowing radical protrusion.

Agriculture is of paramount importance in most developing countries because large proportion of the population involved and the need to maintain national food production. It is generally accepted though not fully proven, that health and productivity are positively correlated. This is of particular  relevance because many agricultural tasks in developing countries demand high level of strenuous activity (Anonymous, 1987). Investment to improve agricultural worker’s health would be justified on both humanitarian and economic grounds. Nearly half of the available human resources in India are women.  It has been roughly estimated that women represent 50% of population and have contributed about 10% of income and own less than 1 % of the world’s property.  The population of farm women are involved in sowing, transplanting, weeding, winnowing, drying, bringing drinking water and firewood, cleaning and dehusking.  Most of the drudgery prone tasks for women in agriculture are cutting uprooting, transplanting, weeding and sowing and post harvest tasks like manual threshing of maize, millets and pulses, sieving and cleaning. For groundnut, after the harvesting, removal of nuts and cleaning of groundnut seeds are also performed  manually. Further, sieving, cleaning are performed by winnowing followed by traditional sieve. (Badiger et al. 2006).  Studies have pointed out that farm activities that are time and labour intensive, monotonous, repetitive and more drudgery prone are generally performed by women.

ABSTRACT

Aprotocol for in vitro clonal multiplication of Dendrobium var. Betty Ho is reported. Aseptic shoot tip explants cultured in MS medium containing Benzyl Adenine (5 mg l^-1) and casein hydrolysate (1000 mg l^-1) recorded a maximum multiplication rate of 10 fold in 30 days. Explant cultured in LS) medium supplemented with 1-napthalene acetic acid (0.1 mg l^-1) and Kinetinetin (1 mg l^-1) developed a maximum of 8.3 shoots in 30 days. Shoots thus obtained were rooted on MS medium supplemented with BA (0. 1mg l^-1 ) and NAA (0.5mg l^-1). Rooted plantlets after hardening were transferred to green house.

Pollination can be defined as the pre-fertilization event or process where pollen grains from anther are transferred to the stigma of a flower. Pollination is the process that helps to unite the male and female gametes and thus helps in fertilization. It can be broadly classified into two, cross-pollination and self-pollination.

1. Self-Pollination

Self-pollination is the process by transferring the pollen grains directly from anther into the stigma of the same flower. It is called as self-pollination. This form of pollination is common in hermaphrodite or dioecious plants which have both male and female sexual organs on the same flower. In self-pollinating flowers, the anthers and stigma are of similar lengths to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Self – pollination can be further divided into two types:

Soil texture is the relative proportion of sand, silt and clay in soil by weight. As per the classification of the inorganic soil particle by the International Society of Soil Science, diameters of the sand, silt and clay particles vary from 2 to 0.02 mm, 0.02 to 0.002 mm and less than 0.002 mm, respectively. There are 3 broad textural groups i.e sand, loam and clay and each broad textural group is subdivided into different textural classes depending upon the proportion of sand, silt and clay.

Successful artificial insemination (AI) is necessary to maximise productivity on any pig farm. There are two types of breeding methods viz. natural mating and artificial insemination. Natural mating involves mating with a boar of superior breed qualities. On the field, only a few farmers have their own boar, and they are employed without regard for genetic merit, breed, or superiority of boar. Only the best quality breeding boar available in the area should be used to produce better piglets with larger litter sizes. Artificial insemination involves artificially collecting sperm from a proven boar, evaluating it for perfection, and depositing it into the cervix of a receptive sow. Artificial means are used for both collection and insemination. This expertise offers an extraordinary opportunity for the genetic upgrading of the animal species to which it is applied. Furthermore, it provides the most cost-effective approach of preserving genetic diversity in a population.

History of Expert System

Expert systems were introduced by researchers in the Stanford Heuristic Programming Project, including the “father of expert systems” Edward Feigenbaum, with the Dendral and Mycin systems. Principal contributors to the technology were Bruce Buchanan, Edward Shortliffe, Randall Davis, Williamvan Melle, Carli Scott, and others at Stanford. Expert systems were among the first truly successful forms of AI software. In the 1980s, expert systems proliferated as they were recognized as a practical tool for solving real- world problems. Universities offered expert system courses and two thirds of the Fortune 1000 companies applied the technology in daily business activities.

Anatomy

The study of gross internal structure of plant organs by the technique of section cutting is called anatomy .The term anatomy was derived from two words ‘ana’ means as under and ‘temnein’ meaning to cut. Anatomy is the branch of science which deals with internal structures and organization of the organism. It is also known as internal morphology. Plant anatomy also describes tissue and tissue systems of the plant body.

As dogs age, their needs change significantly, requiring adjustments in their care routine to ensure they remain healthy, comfortable, and happy in their golden years. Caring for a senior dog involves paying attention to their evolving physical and emotional needs, managing health issues proactively, and providing a supportive and nurturing environment. This article outlines the key aspects of caring for senior dogs, focusing on health and comfort.

Recognizing When Your Dog is a Senior

Dogs are generally considered seniors at around seven years old, although this can vary depending on breed and size. Larger breeds tend to age faster than smaller breeds. Signs of aging include graying fur, decreased energy levels, stiffness, and changes in behavior or appetite.

Health Care for Senior Dogs

Regular Veterinary Check-ups

Frequency: Increase the frequency of veterinary visits to at least twice a year. Regular check-ups can help detect and manage health issues early. Comprehensive Exams: Ensure the vet conducts comprehensive exams, including blood tests, dental check-ups, and screenings for common age related conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer.

The concentration of essential elements must be maintained within quite narrow limits if the growth, health and productivity of the animal are to be maintained. Soil-plant-animal relationship is based on micro-mineral profile in animal blood, plant (fodder) and the soil is of paramount importance to identify dietary requirements of animals maintained under different husbandry practices of various agro-climatic zones. The soil occupies a strategic position in the chain of nutrition flow to plant, animal and eventually to man. The soil is the principal source of trace elements entering the food chain. The influence of the chemical composition of soil on the trace element contents of pant is well known.

This theory belongs to the ‘market area’ or ‘profit maximisation’ approach and has focused on spatial variations in scales potential. August Losch was a German economist and he proposed his theory in 1939 in a book entitled Die taumliches Ordnung Derwirt’s Chaff.

He disregarded spatial variations in production costs by holding them constant, and instead depicted optimal location as occurring where the largest possible market area is monopolised – that is, where sales potential and total revenue potential are maximised. Losch sought to explain the size and shape of market areas within which a location would command the largest revenue.

The mating or crossing between two genetically dissimilar plants or lines is known as hybridization. In other words, hybridization is an artificial controlled pollination in which pollen grains of desired male parent is transferred on the stigma of the desired female parent.

Objectives of Hybridization

To create genetic variability, which is pre-requisite for crop improvement programme.

To transfer one or more characters into single plant.

To know the inheritance of the characters.

To estimate the general combining ability of the parents and specific combining ability of the crosses.

To exploit and utilize the hybrid vigour.

To produce hybrid/synthetic varieties.