Hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymer-based nicorandil (10 mg)-loaded peroral tablets were prepared using the wet granulation technique. The influence of varying amounts of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) (30-50 mg), ethylcellulose (2-4 mg), microcrystalline cellulose (5-20 mg) and Aerosil® (5-12 mg) in conjunction with the constant amounts (3 mg) of glidant and lubricant (magnesium stearate and talc) on the in vitro performances of the tablets (hardness, friability, weight variation, thickness uniformity, drug content, and drug release behavior) were investigated.
Laem-Singh virus (LSNV) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus that was recently identified in Penaeus monodon shrimp in Thailand displaying signs of slow growth syndrome. A total of 326 shrimp collected between 1998 and 2007 from countries in the Indo-Pacific region were tested by RT-PCR for evidence of LSNV infection. The samples comprised batches of whole postlarvae, and lymphoid organ, gill, muscle or pleopod tissue of juvenile, subadult and adult shrimp. LSNV was not detected in 96 P. monodon, P. japonicus or P. merguiensis from Australia or 16 P. monodon from Fiji, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Mozambique. There was no evidence of LSNV infection in 73 healthy juvenile P. vannamei collected during 2006 from ponds at 9 locations in Thailand. However, LNSV was detected in each of 6 healthy P. monodon tested from Malaysia and Indonesia, 2 of 6 healthy P. monodon tested from Vietnam and 39 of 40 P. monodon collected from slow-growth ponds in Thailand. A survey of 81 P. monodon collected in 2007 from Andhra Pradesh, India, indicated 56.8% prevalence of LSNV infection but no clear association with disease or slow growth. Phylogenetic analysis of PCR amplicons obtained from samples from India, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand indicated that nucleotide sequence variation was very low (>98% identity) and there was no clustering of viruses according to site of isolation or the health status of the shrimp. The data suggests that LSNV exists as a single genetic lineage and occurs commonly in healthy P. monodon in parts of Asia.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a shock affecting all areas of the global food system. We tracked the impacts of COVID-19 and associated policy responses on the availability and price of aquatic foods and production inputs during 2020, using a high frequency longitudinal survey of 768 respondents in Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Myanmar, Nigeria. We found the following: (1) Aquatic food value chains were severely disrupted but most effects on the availability and accessibility of aquatic foods and production inputs were short-lived. (2) Impacts on demand for aquatic foods, production inputs, and labor have been longer lasting than impacts on their supply. (3) Retail prices of aquatic foods spiked briefly during March-May 2020 but trended down thereafter, whereas prices of production inputs rose. These trends suggest a deepening 'squeeze' on the financial viability of producers and other value chain actors. (4) Survey respondents adapted to the challenges of COVID-19 by reducing production costs, sourcing alternative inputs, diversifying business activities, leveraging social capital, borrowing, seeking alternative employment, and reducing food consumption. Many of these coping strategies are likely to undermine well-being and longer-term resilience, but we also find some evidence of proactive strategies with potential to strengthen business performance. Global production of aquatic food likely contracted significantly in 2020. The importance of aquatic food value chains in supporting livelihoods and food and nutrition security in Asia and Africa makes their revitalization essential in the context of COVID-19 recovery efforts. We outline immediate and longer-term policies and interventions to support this goal.