February 2011

Inequality measures can be classified into two broad categories, such as leftist inequality measures and rightist inequality measures. The rightist view states that equal proportional changes in all incomes leave inequality unchanged, and the leftist view of inequality states that equal absolute changes in all incomes leave inequality unchanged. These are two extreme value judgments. An intermediate position can also be taken into account which would yield an ‘intermediate’ inequality measure. In this study we develop two multidimensional between-group intermediate inequality measures based on the centrist approach to inequality which is just the middle of two extremes. We apply these measures on Indian data to assess the inequality among the social groups in the distributions of household monthly per capita consumer expenditure and educational achievement across rural and urban areas in fourteen major states.

Backyard poultry production is an integral component of rural economy of India. About 70% of the population living in the rural areas face the problems of unemployment/ disguised employment poverty and malnutrition. Hence this survey is planned to study constraints faced by the farmers in the desi fowl marketing. Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu was randomly selected for the present study. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Relevant data were collected from the chosen respondents through personal interview using a pre-tested interview schedule. Garett's ranking technique was used to analyse the importance of the constraints in desi fowl marketing. that presence of middleman, lack of price and Lack of organized marketing facility are three most important key constraints of desi fowl marketing. Taking steps to remove these constraints would encourage more farmers to take up desi fowl production to get additional income.

Field experiments were conducted for evaluating different organic manures on post harvest soil biology in rice during 2007 and 2008. Both the years rice was cultivated during samba season (August to January). The soil of the experimental farm is deep clay, low in available N (198 kg ha-1), medium in available P (20.9 kg ha-1) and high in available K (271.0 kg ha-1). The experiment was conducted in randomized block design and replicated thrice. It comprised of eight treatments which includes absolute control, recommend dose of nitrogen alone and in combination with different organic manures namely green manure pressmud and vermicompost. Rice cultivar CO 43 was used as test cultivar. Significant increase in microbial population of fungai, bacteria and actinomycetes were recorded in 100% RDN along with vermicompost @ 5t ha-1 over other treatments and control. Also the same treatment recorded significantly higher soil available N and K and higher organic carbon after the harvest of the crop. But higher soil available P was registered under 100% RDN along with pressmud compost @ 10 t ha-1. The least values were recorded in absolute control (no organic and chemical fertilizers).

Now- a- days the rural economy is not based solely on agriculture but relies on a diverse array of activities and enterprises. This aspect is taken account of by recent evolution of the concept of livelihood diversification as a survival strategy of rural households in developing countries and stabilize their incomes. It is now well recognised that peoples’ ability to engage in supplementary (and often better rewarding) non-agricultural activities is often governed by their relative access to a diversity of asset base. Access to this diverse form of assets is influenced by a complex web of socio- economic as well as geographical environment in the concerned region. It is notable that access to different types of assets and socio-economic factors, gives rise to differences in skill formation and income generation opportunities. In this backdrop, an analysis has been made pertaining to the issues of livelihood and diversification strategy followed by people in two very backward regions in W.B in India with different geographic and socio -economic features. Greater divergences/uniformities in socio-economic status, outlook, opportunities and push and pull factors explain significant/insignificant difference in various parameters of diversification across the study areas.

The paper explores the influence of fathering and mothering dimensions of parenting on self esteem of adolescents. The study also attempted to find out the differences among parenting variables with self esteem. Variables included in the study were rejection-acceptance, carelessness-protection, neglect-indulgence, utopian expectations-realism, lenient standard-moralism, freedom-discipline, faulty role expectations-realistic role expectations and marital conflict-marital adjustment in parenting models and fathering and mothering were studied separately as psychological variables and self esteem as independent variable. A sample of 115 adolescents within the age group of 15-18 years was selected using stratified random sampling technique. One way ANOVA and post hoc tests were used for analyzing the data. Results revealed that adolescents develop their self esteem more fast in acceptance mode of mothering and rejection of fathers will adversely affect adolescent's self esteem.

The present research article describes the synthesis of N-Mannich bases of 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones (DHPMs) using Ethylene di ammonium diacetate (EDDA) as catalyst. The heterocyclic precursor DHPMs were synthesized by Bignelli reaction of aromatic aldehyde, ethyl acetoacetate and urea using ionic liquid. Three series of N-Mannich bases have been synthesized by Mannich reaction of 3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one with different heterocyclic secondary amines namely morpholine, piperazine tetrahydrocarbazole, diethanolamine, imidazole and formaldehyde. The products of Mannich reactions have been characterized by elemental and spectral studies. The results indicated that the catalyst EDDA exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the Mannich condensation and better yield (with high degree of purity) under mild reaction conditions than those reactions with conventional catalyst. In conclusion the present method is a very efficient and selective protocol for Mannich condensation reactions of DHPMs (Bignelli compounds) in the presence of reversible and environmentally benign catalyst. Simple work-up procedure, solvent less condition is another advantage of this method.

Recently, Single-term Haar wavelet series (STHW) is introduced to overcome the difficulties in solving some singular system problems. Preliminary experiments have shown that this method is usually more efficient than the other methods. In this article, STHW is developed to approximate the solution of nonlinear Volterra-Hammerstein integral equations. The obtained discrete solutions using the STHW are found to be very accurate and are compared with the exact solutions of the nonlinear Volterra-Hammerstein integral equations. The results obtained show that STHW is more useful for solving nonlinear Volterra-Hammerstein integral equations and the solution can be obtained for any length of time.

Leprosy continues to be a public health problem in India. Cases were selected regardless of their age, sex, religion, occupation and socio economic status. Pathological examination helps in confirming the clinical diagnosis. Clinically exact typing of leprosy is difficult and even slit-skin smear yields poor results. Majority of the cases were seen in second and third decade. Patients of both sexes were affected and it was more in males than in females. Patients from different religions were affected among these most of them belonged to Hindu religion.

A new series of transition metal complexes of Mn (II), Co (II), Ni (II) and Cu (II) are synthesized from a new novel macro cyclic Schiff base ligand with four N donor atoms derived from 4-aminoantipyrine, vanillin and o-phenylenediamine. Several tools like elemental analysis, molar conductance methods, Infrared, electronic (UV-Vis), Electron spin resonance (ESR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques, thermo gravimetric analysis were used to investigate the chemical structure of the prepared ligand (L) and complexes. The elemental analysis data suggest the formation of 1:1 (M: L) anionic complex with formula [ML]Cl2 (M=Co(II) and [ML]SO4 (M= Mn (II), Ni (II) and Cu (II)). The higher molar conductivity values support the electrolytic nature of the complexes. The infrared spectral studies reveal that the involvement of azomethine nitrogen (-C=N) is coordinated to the metal resulted in to MN4 chromospheres. The electronic absorption spectra of the complexes suggest a square planar geometry around the central metal ion. The NMR parameters of the free ligand and its Zinc (II) complexes were also compared. The X-band ESR spectra of Copper (II) complexes were recorded and the molecular orbital coefficients like g||, g┴ ,Exchange interaction term (G), the covalence parameter (α2), K, K┴ and K2 etc., were calculated. The thermal decomposition parameters of these complexes are also studied in static air atmosphere with a heating rate of 20°C per minute which represents a single stage decomposition with metal oxides as stable residue. Antibacterial screening tests were also performed against bacteria. The comparative study of MIC values of the Schiff’s base and its metal complexes indicate that the metal complexes exhibit greater antibacterial activity than the free ligand.

The effects of mercury on acetycholinesterase activity, Na+/K+-ATPase activity were studied in different tissues of rats. Experimental groups were control, mercury (5 mg/kg body wt. orally for 30 days). The acetycholinesterase activity, Na+/K+-ATPase activity were significantly decreased in mercury treated brain tissue. Our data indicate that mercury treatment inhibits significantly brain acetycholinesterase activity, Na+/K+-ATPase activity activity, demonstrating the prevalent mercury effect in vivo on central nervous systems. After mercury treatment taurine and glutathione given orally mercury (5.0 mg/kg body wt. orally for 15 days). The present result indicates acetycholinesterase activity, Na+/K+-ATPase activity was decreased in the brain tissue due to antidotal action of taurine and glutathione.

Ethnobotanical studies were carried out in rural area of Nanded and Mahur. During survey, the tribal and the rural communities were interviewed to record the information regarding their life style, tradition, culture and medicinal uses of plant species as a remote control of various diseases. Out of this number of plants used by the tribal for treatment of various ailments. 22 plants are used to treat, family planning, quick delivery, abortificient. The local names, locality and collection along with parts used and mode of administration for treatment of family planning, quick delivery and abortificient are presented here by referring Ayurvedic literature.

Pastoralism, which is the main source of livelihood to about 120 million pastoralists worldwide, is practiced in the drylands that are characterized by low rainfall and frequent droughts. In the semi arid and arid lands of Kenya (88% of the Kenya landmass), pastoralism accounts for 90% of the employment and 95% of the family incomes and livelihood security. It contributes to about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 50% of the agricultural GDP. However, frequent droughts have threatened this important sector which offers a viable production system in the vast drylands of the country. This paper highlights on the effects of droughts on pastoralism and the coping and adaptive strategies employed by the Maasai pastoralists of northern Kenya with special reference to Mukogodo Division of the semi arid Laikipia District.

A study was carried out to assess the health enhancement and immunomodulation in silkworm Bombyx mori reared on probiotic consortium, added as a supplement to mulberry leaves. The consortium was coated on mulberry leaves and fed to experimental animals. Third instar larvae of Bombyx mori were segregated into three sets: first set was maintained on normal mulberry leaves, second set of diseased animals also maintained with normal mulberry leaves and the third set on mulberry leaves coated with the probiotic consortium. Morphometric characters like body weight, body length and cocoon weight of the three groups were assessed. Among the three sets of Bombyx mori, probiotic supplemented animals showed maximum body weight (2.93g in IV instar, 4.5g in V instar), body length (5.8 cm in IV instar, 7.6cm in V instar) and cocoon weight (2.93g). Total blood count and differential blood count was carried out in all the three groups. Among the three sets of animals there were statistically significant variations in each type of haemocytes. Normally the major haemocyte type was granulocytes (64.8%) followed by semigranulocyte (15.4%), large granulocyte (11.5%) and hyaline cells. Under diseased condition, there was an overall increase in haemocyte-types. Prophenol oxidase activity, an index of immunity enhancement in arthropods was maximum in the probiotic supplemented silkworms. The study showed that feed supplementation with probiotic consortium had a definite role in the growth and immune enhancement of silkworm.

In the field of cancer biology, the drug and their targets holds a role of paramount importance. Biological network helps in the evaluation and validation of cancer drugs and their targets. It is usually created to simplify the studies. In the present study we have created a protein-ligand interaction network where ligands and proteins are anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and cancer inducing drug targets respectively. The objective of the study was to identify the highest interacting cancer druggable target protein in the protein-ligand network and an appropriate anti-inflammatory phytochemicals against it. In order to procure the cancer inducing drug targets, we found anti-inflammatory drugs using literature survey. In total, 49 anti-inflammatory drugs were identified as the most critical. Drugbank was used to obtain the targets of all the anti inflammatory drugs collected. 35 protein targets were identified. Cancer inducing property of these targets was evaluated using Human Cancer Protein Interaction Network (HCPIN) database. 16 proteins were found to be cancer inducing proteins. We obtained structures of 11 proteins from Protein Data Bank (PDB) in the form that can be easily docked using ligands in Quantum3.3.0. These 11 proteins served as cancer inducing target proteins for our study. The anti-inflammatory phytochemicals were collected from a wide range of publishers and databases. The survey resulted in 157 anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. All these phytochemicals were subjected to multi receptor docking using Quantum3.3.0 docking software where cancer inducing drug targets served as receptors. The most suitable drug-like compounds were mapped along with the drug targets using VisANT. The protein found to take part in most inter-network interactions was Beta- Catennin 1. The phytochemicals that had the best interactions with Beta- Catennnin 1 were Chicoric acid and Digoxin. Still further investigation with respect to pharmacological and phytochemical profile of these plant derived compounds needs to be carried out to concrete evidence of their drug like behavior against Beta- Catennnin 1 induced cancer.