Raspodjela kapi tropskih kiša po veličini nad južnom Indijom

Drop size distributions (DSD) associated with tropical rainfall at Cuddalore in the south-eastern part of India have been measured by a Joss-Waldvogel disdrometer (RD–80 model) during September to November 2002. The rainfall data corrected for instrumental error, matches very well with rainfall rates measured by a self recording raingauge, at the same site. For further analysis of the DSD, the rainfall events were separated into convective and stratiform rainfall by an algorithm based on variation of DSD parameters. One rain event in the form of a squall line of 15 September 2002, was analysed in greater detail to investigate the validity of the classification scheme as well as to study the variation of the DSD parameters during the course of a rain event. It was observed that, the algorithm was robust and had quite good correspondence with other independent rainfall separation algorithms. During the rain event, at low rainrates, the convective phase of the rainfall event was marked by DSD spectra that have greater population of small droplets as compared to stratiform DSDs at the same rainrates. At higher rainrates, the convective regime is characterised by narrow spectra centred at higher diameters. At the transition region between convective and stratiform spectra, mixed large and small drop spectra are observed. Similar variation was also observed in the averaged drop spectra. In addition, the averaged spectra also reveal an equilibrium distribution of the drop population in DSDs at higher rainrates (>39 /hr) for diameter range (>1.91 mm) corresponding to nearly constant values of the slope of the distribution, the intercept and the mean mass diameter. The value of the shape parameter, which for small rainrates varies the same as the slope parameter, starts to increase with increasing rainrate as the other two parameters of the gamma distribution approach a constant value corresponding to equilibrium shape. The value of the intercept parameter is highest for low to moderate convective rainfall and decreases as the rainrate increases.Raspodjela kapi po veličini (RKV) koja je povezana s tropskim kišama u Cuddalore u jugoistočnom dijelu Indije, mjerena je Joss-Waldvogel disdrometrom (model RD-80) od rujna do studenog 2002. Mjerenja kiše su korigirana uvažavajući pogreške instrumenta te se vrlo dobro podudaraju s mjerenjima koja su dobivena automatskom kišomjernom postajom na istoj lokaciji. Radi daljnje analize RKV, količine oborine su podijeljene na konvektivnu i stratiformnu količinu oborine na temelju logaritma koji se zasniva na varijacijama RKV parametara. Jedan slučaj obilne kiše za vrijeme olujne pruge 15. rujna 2002. odabran je za detaljnu analizu radi ispitivanja valjanosti klasifikacijske sheme kao i za proučavanje promjena RKV parametara za vrijeme pomicanja olujne pruge. Pokazalo se da je algoritam robustan i da je imao dobro slaganje s drugim algoritmima za separaciju oborine. Tijekom ispitivanog slučaja, kod malih količina kiše, konvektivnu fazu oborine karakterizira izrazit RKV spektar koji ima veliki broj malih kapljica u odnosu na statiformnu RKV za istu količinu kiše. Za veće količine kiše, konvektivni režim karakterizira uzak spektar velikih kapljica. U području prijelaza između konvektivnog i stratiformnog spektra, uočeno je miješanje velikih i malih kapljica kiše. Slične promjene prisutne su i u spektru srednjih kapljica kiše. Srednji spektar također pokazuje ravnomjernu raspodjelu kapi RKV za veće količine kiše (>39/sat) promjera kapi (>1.91 mm) što odgovara skoro konstantnim vrijednostima nagiba distribucije, presjeka s ordinatnom osi i srednjeg promjera. Vrijednost parametra oblika, koji za male količine kiše varira isto kao i parametar nagiba, počinje se povećavati s povećanjem količine oborine kao i ostala dva parametra gama razdiobe dosežući konstantnu vrijednost koja odgovara ravnotežnom obliku. Vrijednost presjeka s ordinatnom osi je najviša za male ili umjerene konvektivne količine oborine i smanjuje se s povećanjem količine kiše

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Potentialities of Leaves Extract of the Plant Cassia tora Linn. (Leguminosae/Caesalpinioideae)

SUMMARYCassia tora L. (Family Leguminosae/Caesalpinioideae), is a plant with enormous medicinal values. The chloroform, methanol and aqueous extract of leaves of Cassia tora L. showed antibacterial activity (0-5000 μg/ml) against 38, 58 and 29 bacterial strains respectively out of 120 various bacterial strains and also methanol extracts showed antifungal activity (0-64mg/ml) against 3 strains out of 4 strains. Five strains of Shigella dysenteriae, four strains of Staphylococcus aureus, and three strains of Escherichia coli, have shown sensitivity against in vitro treatment of the methanol extracts up to 2000 μg/ml concentration. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranges from 2–64 mg/ml for dermatophytes. Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) value lies in the range of 2000-2500 μg/ml against Escherichia coli ATCC25938 and Shigella dysenteriae 1. Phytochemical study indicates that the leaf extract contains flavonoids, saponins, resins, phytosterol, alkaloids and carbohydrates. The traditional claim of leaves of C. tora as an antimicrobial property have been confirmed as the extracts displayed activity against some bacteria and fungi which cause skin infection and gastro-intestinal disorder.Key words: Cassia tora plant, Phytochemical study, Antimicrobial activity, MIC and MBC Gouranga Das et al. Evaluation of Antimicrobial Potentialities of Leaves Extract of the Plant Cassia tora Linn. (Leguminosae/Caesalpinioideae). J Phytol 2/5 (2010)  64-72

Comparison of efficacy between intravenous clonidine and dexmedetomidine as pre-medication in attenuating hemodynamic stress responses during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a commonly performed surgery and stable intraoperative hemodynamic status is desirable during pneumoperitonium. Clonidine and dexmedetomidine (alpha-2 adrenergic agonist) were used in this study to attenuate the stress response of pneumoperitoneum because alpha-2 adrenergic agonists help in the attenuation of neuroendocrine and hemodynamic responses to surgery and anesthesia, due to its sympatholytic action. Aims and Objectives: The aims and objectives of the study are to conduct a comparative evaluation of clonidine and dexmedetomidine as pre-anesthetic medication for the attenuation of hemodynamic changes during laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgeries. Materials and Methods: Eighty patients of either sex, aged 20–50 years, complying to the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II, scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia were divided into two equal groups to receive either clonidine 1 mg/kg (Group-C, n=40) or dexmedetomidine 1 mg/kg (Group-D, n=40), both injected through intravenous route as 15 mL volume with normal saline. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and SpO2 were measured before and after giving the study drugs, before and immediately after pneumoperitoneum, and then, at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 min of pneumoperitoneum. Results: Statistically significant difference was observed in heart rate in the dexmedetomidine group constantly since giving study drug, immediately after the creation of pneumoperitoneum, and then, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 min after pneumoperitoneum. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures were found to be significantly lower in Group D (except after administering study drug), immediately after creating pneumoperitoneum, and 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 min after pneumoperitoneum. Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine as pre-medication is more efficacious in attenuating hemodynamic stress responses in laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgeries compared to clonidine as pre-medication

A Rare HBV Subgenotype D4 with Unique Genomic Signatures Identified in North-Eastern India –An Emerging Clinical Challenge?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: HBV has been classified into ten genotypes (A-J) and multiple subgenotypes, some of which strongly influence disease outcome and their distribution also correlate with human migration. HBV infection is highly prevalent in India and its diverse population provides an excellent opportunity to study the distinctiveness of HBV, its evolution and disease biology in variegated ethnic groups. The North-East India, having international frontiers on three sides, is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse region of the country. Given the paucity of information on molecular epidemiology of HBV in this region, the study aimed to carry out an in-depth genetic characterization of HBV prevailing in North-East state of Tripura. METHODS: From sera of chronically HBV infected patients biochemical/serological tests, HBV DNA quantification, PCR-amplification, sequencing of PreS/S or full-length HBV genomes were done. HBV genotype/subgenotype determination and sequence variability were assessed by MEGA5-software. The evolutionary divergence times of different HBV subgenotypes were estimated by DNAMLK/PHYLIP program while jpHMM method was used to detect any recombination event in HBV genomes. RESULTS: HBV genotypes D (89.5%), C (6.6%) and A (3.9%) were detected among chronic carriers. While all HBV/A and HBV/C isolates belonged to subgenotype-A1 and C1 respectively, five subgenotypes of HBV/D (D1-D5) were identified including the first detection of rare D4. These non-recombinant Indian D4 (IndD4) formed a distinct phylogenetic clade, had 2.7% nucleotide divergence and recent evolutionary radiation than other global D4. Ten unique amino acids and 9 novel nucleotide substitutions were identified as IndD4 signatures. All IndD4 carried T120 and R129 in ORF-S that may cause immune/vaccine/diagnostic escape and N128 in ORF-P, implicated as compensatory Lamivudine resistance mutation. CONCLUSIONS: IndD4 has potential to undermine vaccination programs or anti-viral therapy and its introduction to North-East India is believed to be linked with the settlement of ancient Tibeto-Burman migrants from East-Asia

Experimental studies of the transient fluctuation theorem using liquid crystals

In a thermodynamical process, the dissipation or production of entropy can only be positive or zero according to the second law of thermodynamics. However the laws of thermodynamics are applicable to large systems in the thermodynamic limit. Recently a fluctuation theorem known as the Transient Fluctuation Theorem (TFT) which generalizes the second law of thermodynamics even for small systems has been proposed. This theorem has been tested in small systems such as a colloidal particle in an optical trap. We report for the first time an analogous experimental study of TFT in a spatially extended system using liquid crystals.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Influence of polymorphisms in TNF-α and IL1β on susceptibility to alcohol induced liver diseases and therapeutic potential of miR-124-3p impeding TNF-α/IL1β mediated multi-cellular signaling in liver microenvironment

Background and aimsAlcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the leading cause of the liver cirrhosis related death worldwide. Excessive alcohol consumption resulting enhanced gut permeability which trigger sensitization of inflammatory cells to bacterial endotoxins and induces secretion of cytokines, chemokines leading to activation of stellate cells, neutrophil infiltration and hepatocyte injury followed by steatohepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis. But all chronic alcoholics are not susceptible to ALD. This study investigated the causes of differential immune responses among ALD patients and alcoholic controls (ALC) to identify genetic risk factors and assessed the therapeutic potential of a microRNA, miR-124-3p.Materials and methodsBio-Plex Pro™ Human Chemokine analysis/qRT-PCR array was used for identification of deregulated immune genes. Sequencing/luciferase assay/ELISA detected and confirmed the polymorphisms. THP1 co-cultured with HepG2/LX2/HUVEC and apoptosis assay/qRT-PCR/neutrophil migration assay were employed as required.ResultsThe combined data analysis of the GSE143318/Bio-Plex Pro™ Human Chemokine array and qRT-PCR array revealed that six genes (TNFα/IL1β/IL8/MCP1/IL6/TGFβ) were commonly overexpressed in both serum/liver tissue of ALD-patients compared to ALC. The promoter sequence analysis of these 6 genes among ALD (n=322)/ALC (n=168) samples revealed that only two SNPs, rs361525(G/A) at -238 in TNF-α/rs1143627(C/T) at -31 in IL1β were independently associated with ALD respectively. To evaluate the functional implication of these SNPs on ALD development, the serum level of TNF-α/IL1β was verified and observed significantly higher in ALD patients with risk genotypes TNF-α-238GA/IL1β-31CT+TT than TNF-α-238GG/IL1β-31CC. The TNF-α/IL1β promoter Luciferase-reporter assays showed significantly elevated level of luciferase activities with risk genotypes -238AA/-31TT than -238GG/-31CC respectively. Furthermore, treatment of conditioned medium of TNF-α/IL1β over-expressed THP1 cells to HepG2/LX2/HUVEC cells independently showed enhanced level of ER stress and apoptosis in HepG2/increased TGFβ and collagen-I production by LX2/huge neutrophil infiltration through endothelial layer. However, restoration of miR-124-3p in THP1 attenuated such inter-cellular communications and hepatocyte damage/collagen production/neutrophil infiltration were prohibited. Target analysis/luciferase-reporter assays revealed that both TNF-α/IL1β were inhibited by miR-124-3p along with multiple genes from TLR4 signaling/apoptosis/fibrogenesis pathways including MYD88, TRAF3/TRADD, Caspase8/PDGFRA, TGFβR2/MCP1, and ICAM1 respectively.ConclusionThus, rs361525(G/A) in TNF-α and rs1143627(C/T) in IL1β gene may be used as early predictors of ALD susceptibility among East Indian population. Impeding overexpressed TNF-α/IL1β and various genes from associated immune response pathways, miR-124-3p exhibits robust therapeutic potential for ALD patients