Abstract Plant based protein sources are one of the best, cost effective and easily available protein sources being used in fish feed. But due to a lower number of micro-biota in fish gut plant meal based diets cannot be digested and absorbed well in fish body. Probiotics were supplemented at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 gkg-1 levels in fish feed for formulating one control and five test diets. In this study, three replicates of each treatment were used and number of fingerlings was 15 in each replicate. The C. carpio (common carp) fingerlings were fed at 5% of live wet weight on their prescribed diet twice daily. The results revealed that supplementation of probiotics in corn gluten meal based diets significantly (p<0.05) improved growth performance, carcass composition and hematological parameters. Most optimum values of growth performance parameters were noted at 2 gkg-1 level of probiotics supplemented diet. C. carpio fingerlings fed corn gluten meal based diet supplemented with 2 gkg-1 level of probiotics indicated significant (p<0.05) improvements in crude protein (17g) crude fat (9g) and gross energy (3 kcalg-1) whereas higher red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and hemoglobin (Hb) was also recorded in fish blood when fed 2 gkg-1 probiotics level diet. From these results, it was concluded that 2 gkg-1 probiotics supplementation in corn gluten meal based diet is optimum for improving growth performance, body composition and hematology of C. carpio fingerlings.

AbstractThe aim of research work is to characterize hyperelastic material and to determine a suitable strain energy function (SEF) for an indigenously developed rubber to be used in flexible joint use for thrust vectoring of solid rocket motor. In order to evaluate appropriate SEF uniaxial and volumetric tests along with equi-biaxial and planar shear tests were conducted. Digital image correlation (DIC) technique was utilized to have strain measurements for biaxial and planar specimens to input stress-strain data in Abaqus®. Yeoh model seems to be right choice, among the available material models, because of its ability to match experimental stress-strain data at small and large strain values. Quadlap specimen test was performed to validate material model fitted from test data. FE simulations were carried out to verify the behavior as predicted by Yeoh model and results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental data.