Frog gene map a leap forward for humans

Scientists have for the first time sequenced the genome of a frog and in the process made an interesting discovery; some of its genetic makeup is similar to humans.

The international team of scientists, led by Uffe Hellsten of the Joint Genome Institute in the United States, has published the first genome analysis of the frog Xenopus tropicalis today in the journal Science.

Professor Grant Morahan, a geneticist at the University of Western Australia says the findings are significant.

“[You’ve] probably heard of the human genome program and the mouse genome program, but this is the first organism that has been sequenced that is an intermediate between fish and reptiles,” he says.

The researchers found nearly 80% of all human genes associated with genetic diseases are shared with the Xenopus, including more than 1700 genes that are very similar to conditions such as cancer, asthma and heart disease.

Great potential

Professor Phil Batterham of the University of Melbourne, says the similar genetic architecture means there is potential for frogs to help solve human problems.

“The specific biological advantage is that frogs develop outside the body of their mothers so you can actually watch development proceed and that is a huge advantage,” he says.

“You can manipulate these organisms and work with them and experiment on them and really find the answers to many important questions that can be related to human health.”

Frog specialist Professor Michael Tyler says the researchers chose Xenopus for its small genome size and because it is so common.

“Xenopus is a group of frogs confined to southern Africa better known as clawed frogs,” he says.

“They live in water almost entirely. They have claws on the end of their fingers and toes, so they are rather extraordinary. There is probably no country in the world that has biological laboratories where these animals are not being kept in captivity.”

Morahan says Xenopus is not as biologically relevant for human health as other species.

“I assume we will know the genome sequences of maybe 20 different mouse strains so we’ll know this in much more detail than we know the frog sequence,” he says.

Reference Link
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/04/30/2886742.htm?site=science&topic=latest

Courtesy
ABC

Students warm up to the cause

British Council has begun their hunt for 3rd batch of Champions Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

British Council International Climate Change Champions (from left) K.N.Shruti, S. Sundeep Kumar and M.Haripriya, with the project manager Anu Thampi. —

CHENNAI: When a community radio initiative of Anna University went on air, little did the students of Anna University know that it would tweak their own attitude towards environment.

Their attitude change was just an unexpected frill to the work of M. Haripriya, who, along with her friends, set up an FM channel to spread awareness of going green.

The channel was a creative upshot of her slew of eco-friendly initiatives taken to become part of the prestigious International Climate Change Champions, a project mooted by British Council.

She is now part of the 50-odd champions from India, who attended a weeklong brainstorming workshop on climate change at Mukteshwar, Uttaranchal.

Armed with a project idea that promises to make a lasting impact on the society, each of the participants began their grass root-level initiatives to sensitise their neighbourhood.

“My project was on the role of media in climate change. I thought community radios have a far-reaching impact and can influence people in a big way,” says Haripriya, the final-year student of Anna University.

K. N. Shruti, another climate change champion, believed in ‘catching them young.’ She conducted eco-kids camps for her neighbourhood kids and began distributing cloth bags to people.

If combating climate change begins in the classroom, then the climate change champions start right there. When S. Sundeep Kumar from Loyola was selected as a climate champion, the attitude change was perceptible among his classmates. “People began to take our work seriously since we have been trained by the British Council. My friends now think twice before taking a plastic bag,” he says.

Concurring with him, Shruti says the awareness is gradually spreading among her peer groups and NGOs, egging on her to plan adoption of a village. Haripriya, and others, now network with climate change champions from other countries to know the workable ways to save the environment.

“A key difference that we find in other countries is that they lobby with the government for sustainable solutions. The politicians are approachable and they manage to make their voices heard. In India, change can be effected, only in a small way as government officials are not accessible to us,” Shruti observes.

Like Sundeep Kumar, whose project on green business became an instant hit with people, the rest of the champions from the State are doing their bit for the environment in a noticeable way. With the growing response, the British Council has begun their hunt for the third batch of the champions and has floated online applications. “We ask for their project proposal and funding options. It is followed by an interview,” explains Anu Thampi, project manager, International Climate Champions, British Council.

Corrections and Clarifications

The second paragraph of a report “Students warm up to the cause” (Chennai city, April 30, 2010, page 2) said that “… [the students of Anna University] M. Haripriya along with her friends, set up an FM channel to spread awareness of going green.” The students set up an environmental radio club, and not the FM channel. The campus radio channel was started by Anna University in 2004.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/30/stories/2010043058160200.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

30 students from government schools selected for training programme

PUDUCHERY: Thirty students from government schools in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions have been selected for a vocation training programme on bio-resources for schoolchildren.

The State Training Centre (STC), Directorate of School Education, has selected 14 girls and 16 boys who had appeared for Class X examinations this year for the programme. It has been organised by Shri AMM Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre, Taramani, and National Bioresource Development Board, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. It began on April 26 and will go on till May 19.

“This is a residential camp. It will give orientation on bio-resources and hands-on training in bio-resources utilisation such as vermi-composting and eco-friendly measures. Visits to biologically important sites such as museums and zoo are part of the programme,” V. Krishnan, Officer on Special Duty, STC, said.

STC had already conducted two residential camps for students enrolled in National Green Corps. “This is a two-day intensive camp to create awareness among students of environment protection measures. Fifty students from urban and rural government schools participated,” he added.

A training programme for heads of institutions on school management and administration was conducted in two batches – for vice-principals, principals and headmaster grade-I from April 19 to 21.

“The programme was aimed at creating awareness of management and administration of schools including account maintenance,” he said. Sessions on quality-based educational administration, leadership qualities, right to education, RTI replies, strengthening monitoring mechanism, disciplinary proceedings, tackling school emergencies – problems and remedies, service book and conduct rules and preparation of bills was held.

As many as 45 vice-principals and principals and 53 headmasters grade-I participated, Mr. Krishnan said.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/30/stories/2010043051240300.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

Economic recovery to help boost footwear exports

International trade event to be held from May 7 to 9

NEW DELHI: With signs of recovery in the world economy and the recessionary trends showing signs of abating, India’s footwear industry on Thursday expressed confidence that exports are likely to more than double to $3.37 billion (about Rs. 14,828 crore) during the next two years over 2008-09.

The footwear industry, the second-largest in the world after China, is growing at a rate of about 10 per cent annually, Indian Footwear Components Manufacturers Association President B. D. Bhaiya told reporters here.

The industry is organising India’s international trade event for footwear manufacturing, components, leather and materials at Greater Noida from May 7 to 9.

Mr. Bhaiya said apart from growth in the domestic sector, the industry had also set a target of $3.37 billion in exports of footwear alone by 2013-14.

In 2008-09, footwear exports stood at $1.53 billion. Of the total exports of leather and leather products, the segment contributes over 40 per cent.

Per capita consumption

Several international brands such as Nike, Addidas and Reebok source footwear from the $5-billion domestic industry. India at present produces about 2.06 billion pairs of shoes in different categories.

Per capita consumption of footwear in the country has also increased to two pairs from a mere 0.5 pairs a decade ago.

“With the quality and price competitiveness that has been proved, I am confident that India will fast become a major player in the global footwear market as more and more companies are shifting their sourcing needs as well as production bases towards us, Mr. Bhaiya said.

The country’s major export markets are the U.S. and Europe. India allows 100 per cent foreign direct investment in the sector. Companies such as Formas Kunz (Brazil), Feng Tay Enterprises (Taiwan) and Apache Footwear (China) have set production bases in India, he said.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/30/stories/2010043063571800.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

Free treatment for children having major ailments

Health MinisterP.K. Sreemathy says the government is implementing various social welfare programmes.

MALAPPURAM: The State government will provide free treatment to children below 18 years suffering from life-threatening diseases and accident trauma, said Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy here on Thursday. Treatment will be given free for open heart surgery, diseases of the kidney, cancer, haemophilia and orthopaedic cases.

She was speaking after inaugurating a new outpatient (OP) block at the Taluk Hospital here. M. Ummer, MLA, presided over the function.

The Minister said Rs.2 crore would be sanctioned for the General Hospital at Manjeri. A cancer detection centre will soon be opened at the District Hospital, she said.

Ms. Sreemathy said patients at the General Hospital would be provided three times free meal, and helpers would be given lunch

for Rs. 2. She said various programmes aimed at social welfare were being implemented by the government.

The Aswasakiranam project offering Rs.300 a month for those taking care of the mentally and physically challenged, and the aged was being implemented, she said. “They will get rice at Rs.2 a kg. Thirty-five lakh families in the State would benefit from this,” she said. The Minister said the annual income ceiling for the pension of widows was raised to Rs.22,750.

District Panchayat president Arimbra Mohammed delivered the keynote address. Malappuram Municipal chairman Kiliyamannil Yakoob welcomed the gathering.

During a visit to the P.S. Varier Ayurveda College at Kottakkal, the Minister said the institution would be converted into a centre of excellence. Ms. Sreemathi inaugurated a central medical store at the College and laid the foundation stone for a postgraduate hostel.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/30/stories/2010043060840400.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

Rise in export of coconut products

Exports touch Rs.442 crore

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Old palms being phased out under rejuvenation scheme

Insurance scheme for palm climbers being implemented

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KOCHI: There has been an increase in the export of coconut products in the last five years, Coconut Development Board (CDB) Chairperson Minnie Mathew said here on Thursday.

Products worth Rs.442 crore were exported in 2009-10. The exports in 2005-06 were to the tune of Rs.46 crore, Ms. Mathew said at a press conference here.

The Export Promotion Council status accorded to the board last year had helped the exporters as several products got included in the ‘special focus product scheme’ of the Centre. The coconut rejuvenation scheme of the CDB is being implemented in 9 blocks spread over Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Thrissur districts. About 35,000 hectares had been brought under the scheme which was launched in December last, she said.

The scheme envisaged phasing out of old and diseased coconut palms through replanting operations. Farmer will get an aid of Rs.28,000 per hectare. It is being undertaken in clusters in the State. The Union government had sanctioned Rs.478.5 crore to be spent over a three-year period, Ms. Mathew said.

It is the largest funded project for any single crop in the country. The scheme is being implemented in Kerala and the Andaman and Nicobar islands on a pilot basis.

An insurance scheme for coconut growers is being implemented in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Kozhikode. An insurance scheme for coconut palm climbers had also been introduced.

As many as 354 projects had been approved by the CDB under the coconut technology mission. Innovative technologies had been developed for virgin coconut oil and ‘defatted’ coconut powder. Forest Industries (Travancore) Limited had been permitted to take up a coconut wood-based project. Another project for making particle wood by using coconut wood is also in progress.

The productivity of coconut had increased in the State. Production had registered a decline. The productivity increased from 6,379 nuts per hectare to 6,889 nuts per hectare while production registered a decrease from 573 crore to 564 crore during the period from 2004-05 to 2007-08.

The productivity was but below national average. The production, at the national level, had gone up from 1,283 crore to 1,474 crore during the period.

Allocation up

The budgetary allocation to the coconut sector had grown from Rs.20 crore in 2004-05 to Rs.141 crore during the current financial year. The CDB is functioning with lesser number of employees in comparison to commodity boards such as Spices Board and Coir Board, she said. The cluster approach adopted by the Board had helped in executing various projects with minimum staff strength, she added.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/30/stories/2010043053530700.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

Israel's community farming model turns inspirational

Farmers return from a visit eager to propagate the method in their villages

Taking the idea forward:Farmers who visited China and Israel interacting with poet and MLC Doddarange Gowda (extreme right) at Krishi Bhavan in Bangalore on Thursday.

BANGALORE: A group of farmers who just returned from a Government-sponsored study trip to Israel are so impressed by that country’s community farming that one of them has decided to convince farmers in his village, Muddebihal, in Bijapur district, to replicate the model.

This was clear during the media interaction on their return to Bangalore on Thursday from the six-day study tour.

Farmer Mahaveer B. Sagari of Muddebihal, who owns 80 acres of land, told presspersons that he would try to convince at least 100 farmers in his village to form a group for community farming. “I am confident that I will be able to ensure that community farming commences on a minimum of 500 acres, including his land,” he said.

“The main intention is to take up wheat cultivation on a large scale. Presently, on individual farms, we produce only 12 quintals of wheat per hectare. But we saw that Israel farmers were able to grow 60 quintals of wheat on the same extent of land through community farming,” he said.

According to the farmers, the community farming saves production cost and helps in management of pests as well as marketing.

However, they are hoping that the Government will help them get water from the Krishna and install drip-irrigation system.

Methods to follow

Farmer Bilekalli Narayan, who has a 30-acre mango orchard, said he was surprised to see Israel farmers growing a large number of mango trees per acre against the Indian method of growing only 40 to 70 plants. To prevent congestion, they prune the trees periodically and do not allow them to grow beyond 3 feet, he said, while expressing to follow suit. A majority of the farmers said the main lessons they learnt was the “water conservation model” which was demonstrated by their Israel counterparts through drip irrigation.

BJP MLC Doddarange Gowda, who also took the trip, said the tour was a memorable one. A few farmers, who returned from China, too, shared their experiences on the occasion.

The State Government commenced farmers’ study tours in 2008-09. So far in 2010-11, 79 farmers have visited China and 133 have visited Israel. The cost of a study tour to China for each farmer is Rs. 53,960, while the Israel trip costs Rs. 85,250.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/30/stories/2010043060780400.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

Israeli companies interested in joint ventures with Indian firms

The two-way trade between India and Israel touched $4 billion in 2008

Israel recycles about three-fourths of the water that is consumed

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Orna Sagiv

Bangalore: Israeli companies with expertise in niche areas are looking to develop ties with Indian firms to exploit markets in third world countries. Speaking to The Hindu, Orna Sagiv, Consul-General at the Israeli Consulate in Mumbai, said: “Israeli companies need not be seen as competitors to Indian companies but as complementing them by providing expertise in key areas.”

Although Ms. Sagiv acknowledged that most of the technological expertise in several fields was a spinoff from defence and security applications developed by Israeli companies, the expertise is by now means confined to these areas alone. Information technology, telecommunications, automotives, renewable energy agriculture, water use and management and biotechnology are some of the areas in which Israeli companies are interested in developing partnerships with Indian companies. Another significant area of collaboration relates to aerospace and avionics, but Ms. Sagiv said she would rather speak about civilian cooperation.

The two-way trade between India and Israel increased from $ 200 million in 1992, when diplomatic relations were established, to $4 billion in 2008. Ms. Sagiv said although Israeli IT companies were much smaller than their Indian counterparts, “They are well equipped to offer firewall solutions, for instance.”

Ms. Sagiv said solutions for dryland farming practices developed by Israeli scientists, working in collaboration with farmers and Israeli companies, could be deployed in India. “Israel has much more to offer than drip irrigation, which was developed in the 1960s,” she remarked. Israel, which has always faced a shortage of water, does not grow water-intensive crops such as rice and cotton, but focusses attention on other crops which can be cultivated without wastage of precious water, she said.

“The trick is to supply produce during the off-season to markets in advanced countries such as in Europe in order to ensure better prices,” she remarked. For instance, Israeli farmers grow and supply strawberries in the winter, which at that time get far higher prices in Europe, she said.

The average annual milk yield from a cow in Israel is about 12,000 litres, which Ms. Sagiv claimed was among the highest in the world. This was because the entire production process is managed scientifically, she added.

Israel recycles about three-fourths of the water that is consumed. “In two years, we want to increase this to 95 per cent,’ Ms. Sagiv said. “Although the recycled water is fit for human consumption, for psychological reasons, we use it for agriculture.” A lot of the drinking water comes from the desalination plants, which are among the biggest in the world, she added.

Asked if Israeli companies would be participating in the Global Investors’ Meet scheduled in Bangalore in June, Ms. Sagiv said she is not aware of it. There are about 100 Israeli companies in India. Among the active companies in Bangalore is a real estate company, Elbit Imaging, which has interests in real estate, hospitals and now agriculture and dairy.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/29/stories/2010042954100400.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

NGOs chip in to make engg. students employable

Anantapur: About 500,000 students graduate from 750 engineering colleges in the State every year and only 20 per cent of them are employable by corporate and multi-national companies. The remaining have been finding it difficult to market themselves for lack of proficiency in English language, self-confidence and job skills.

The Ashwamedha Charitable Trust (ACT) and another NGO called Talent Sprint have jointly launched a training programme to help weak students in academics, job skills and personality development, N.T. Choudhury, chairman of Ashwamedha Charitable Trust said in a press release.

A meeting of the two NGOs was held recently at the local SK University to select students for the training and also to give appointment letters to the students trained by them and employed by corporate IT companies.

Talent Sprint chairman J.A. Choudhury said that the 500 selected students would be trained at Hyderabad. The training programme was being totally sponsored by the Ashwamedha Trust. So far the ACT had sponsored educational and job training of about 10,000 students belonging to economically weaker sections in the State.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/29/stories/2010042951740200.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu

Prospective entrepreneurs derive confidence

Meeting on entrepreneurship opportunities organised

TIRUCHI: Prospective women entrepreneurs could realise that it is motivation and commitment rather than the volume of investment that determines success in entrepreneurship ventures, during a meeting on entrepreneurship opportunities organised here recently by the Women Industrial Entrepreneurship Club (WIPEC) in association with R.K. Charitable Trust.

At the meeting to discuss opportunities in fabricating, machining, food processing, textile and other areas, they learnt how an industrial unit in Tiruchi that started off as a sub-contractor to the BHEL, Tiruchi, with modest investment could today emerge as a company with a turnover exceeding Rs. 150 crore.

Addressing the participants, V. Shankar, Joint Managing Director, Veesons Energy Systems (P) Ltd, who delivered the key note address, said the unit was started with an initial investment of Rs. 60,000. “We have huge orders and have set a turnover target of Rs. 250 crore,” Mr. Shankar said, expressing readiness to outsource jobs to interested women entrepreneurs.

Presiding over, G.M.Rajendran, Additional General Manager – Valves, BHEL, Tiruchi, said the power sector requirement was very high and that there will be enormous demand for the next two decades. Prospective women entrepreneurs were promised of guidance for setting up units by WIPEC that functions with support from the Chennai-based Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises – Development Institute, and the Vellore Institute of Technology.

Ramasamy Desai, Project Director, Periyar Technology Business Incubator, said that under the aegis of the project of the National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, awareness programmes will be conducted for unemployed youths and women to start industries. The Periyar TBI, he said, promotes new innovations in herbal and food processing, and incubates projects by providing technology, space and necessary infrastructure. Financial assistance will also be arranged through banks for starting new units, Mr. Desai said, informing that the Periyar TBI will conduct skill-development programmes in all parts of Tamil Nadu alongside providing guidance to start industries.

BHEL Small Industries’ Association (BHELSIA) president Rajappa Rajkumar said that the BHEL, Tiruchi, was likely to announce ‘best performance award’ for tiny units run by women entrepreneurs under the Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development project of the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, that was implemented by the Tiruchi District Tiny and Small Scale Industries’ Association.

Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/29/stories/2010042960790600.htm

Courtesy
The Hindu