Climate change impacts : Reflections and upshots on Indian Marine Ecosystem

Climate change is no unidirectional issue, it brings along with its effects on both the resources and resource users, thus the adaptation to it should ensure that the multifarious impacts it brings along can be tackled. Development can not be ceased, nor can exploitation be hailed, the key to successful climate change adaptation is implementing sustainable development through incentive based polices and empowering the economically weaker sections of the society with environmentally friendly livelihoods. This could be achieved through ’blue economy’ which is a recently developed business model which will shift society from scarcity to abundance “with what is locally available”, by tackling issues that cause environmental and related problems in new ways. Blue economy could enhance the ocean technologies, provide marine governance, helps to improve ocean health and manage coastal urbanization. It is the marine based economic development which improves the human well -being and also social equity which in general greatly decreases the environmental risks and ecological scarcities

An assessment of wind forcing impact on a spectral wave model for the Indian Ocean

The focus of the present study is the assessment of the impact of wind forcing on the spectral wave model MIKE 21 SW in the Indian Ocean region. Three different wind fields, namely the ECMWF analyzed winds, the ECMWF blended winds, and the NCEP blended winds have been used to drive the model. The wave model results have been compared with in-situ observations and satellite altimeter data. This study also evaluated the performance of the wind products during local phenomenon like sea breeze, since it has a significant impact on the wave prediction in the Indian coastal region. Hence we explored the possibility of studying the impact of diurnal variation of winds on coastal waves using different wind fields. An analysis of the model performance has also been made during high wind conditions with the inference that blended winds generate more realistic wave fields in the high wind conditions and are able to produce the growth and decay of waves more realistically

Desiccation-resurrection linked antioxidant machinery of a moss species Campylopus flexuosus (Hedw.) Bird.

Dehydration and rejuvenation during rehydration is the salient feature of certain plants which can withstand drought. The present study was undertaken to justify the tolerance capacity of Campylopus flexuosus, the moss of the Ponmudi belts of Thiruvananthapuram, against dehydration followed by rehydration. Fresh leafy plants of C. flexuosus were hydrated, afterwards dried, and rehydrated under in vitro environment. In the course of loss of water from cells, the relative water content of desiccated thallus was reduced after 4 h with intense inward curling. Upon rehydration, the RWC was regained 85% of its initial water content within hours. The rehydrated thallus showed the normal morphology. Photosynthetic parameters like chlorophyll b (1.01 to 1.56 μg g –1 ), and total carotenoid (0.251 to 0.514 μg g –1 ) increased remarkably in the desiccated state. Superoxide radical (O2 _) content increased (11.4 nmol/g FW), resulting in an oxidative burst during desiccation. Consequently, antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (0.369 U mg protein −1), superoxide dismutase ( 2.68 to 6.02 Units mg−1), peroxidase ( 0.12 μmol min−1 g−1 protein) and glutathione reductase ( 312 Units mg−1 protein) activities were up-regulated in the desiccated thallus to ameliorate oxidative damage. Increased malondialdehyde (1.08 nmol g−1 FW) content during desiccation substantiates membrane damage and loss of its integrity. During desiccation, the osmolytes sucrose and proline (27.6 and 2.57 μmol/g FW respectively) were enhanced to maintain cell structure integrity. After rehydration, biochemical and morphological properties were maintained similar to hydrated conditions. Thus, the study reflects the unique adaptations of the moss to tide over desiccation tolerance

Assessment of prescription writing skills among undergraduate medical students

Background: The existing medical undergraduate curriculum includes training in prescription writing in second phase under pharmacology and Therapeutics. This study evaluates the prescription writing skills of undergraduate medical students and interns and need for emphasis on prescription writing during various phases of learning process in medical undergraduates.Methods: After obtaining institutional ethics committee approval, we recruited 4th to 8th semester medical undergraduate students and interns into the study, who gave written informed consent. They were given a pilot-tested, pre-evaluated questionnaire addressing the issues of prescription writing. They were asked to prescribe for a common clinical scenario. Their prescriptions were analysed for various parameters as indicated in WHO guidelines.Results: Of the 350 medical undergraduate students and interns invited, 281 of them participated in the study. 169 participants (60.1%) agree that they have not written a formal prescription to any patient when the questionnaire was administered. 134 participants (47.6 %) feel that undergraduate training has not prepared them for prescribing properly. 90% of participants said reinforcing classes during 3rd, 4th year and during Compulsory Routine Rotatory Internship will be beneficial. Though 220 participants have opined that generic name should be used while prescribing, only 124 have actually used generic names in their prescriptions. Fifteen participants have failed to write the symbol while prescribing. All 121 interns in the study have used brand names while prescribing.Conclusions: There are widespread lacunae in prescription writing by medical undergraduates. There is perceived need for reinforcement sessions at third and final phase of undergraduate education to address this gap. Most participants opine that clinicians do not discuss this issue during case discussion. There is knowledge and practice gap in using generic names while prescribing

Antimetastatic potential of anthocyanins from Cordyline australis (G. Forst.) Endl. Red star variety on MCF onco cell lines

Breast cancer is the second most deadly diagnosed lifestyle disease among women. Surgery and chemotherapy are the current treatments of choice; nevertheless, toxicity connected with this underscores the urgency of the demand for the human-friendly drug. 50% of current synthetic drugs available commercially today are either direct or indirect descendants extracted from herbs. Anthocyanins possess many pharmacological activities, including anticancer potential. However, no study on anticancer activity of anthocyanins from Cordyline australis has been reported. Anthocyanins were extracted from fresh leaves using ethanol as solvent. The total anthocyanin was quantified and fractionated by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography. Cytotoxicitic effect was carried on diverse cancer cell lines like MCF 7, HCT-116, Caco-2 and SW480 using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay. Based on MTT data, MCF 7 cells were further analyzed by LDH assay, Glutathione-S- transferase (GST), Quercetin reductase, Cytochrome P450 and Caspase 3, 8 and 9 activities. The obtained results were analyzed using ANOVA with a level of significance. Results obtained from MTT assay revealed that the anthocyanin extract carried significant toxic (p < 0.05) specificity against MCF 7 cells (65 ± 2.1 toxicity at 50 µg/ml) when compared to the other onco cells. Remarkable LDH leakage (50.2% vs 50 µg/ml), GST (3.0±0.002 U/mg protein), QR (4.4±0.054 U/mg protein), Cyt P450 activities (0.291±0.01 U/mg protein) were noticed. Caspase 3 (157%), 8 (142%) and 9 (147%) displayed profound activities. These in vitro findings of specific anticancer effects noticed on C. australis anthocyanin extract require further evaluation using animal models. Finally, the obtained findings open up the possibility of developing a lead antimetastatic anthocyanin candidate against deadly breast cancer

അറിയാം നമ്മുടെ ഉഷ്ണഗ്രഹത്തെ (Know Your Warming Planet-ClimEd Series:1C)

This instructional material "Know Your Warming Planet" has been developed as a part of the Belmont funded project titled "Global Understanding and Learning for Local solutions: Reducing Vulnerability of marine dependent coastal communities" as a means to create awareness and impart climate change knowledge across the target populace

Phylogeny Reconstruction of Acetobacter Species by RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) Markers

RAPD (Random amplified polymorphic DNA) analysis was performed to establish the phylogenetic relationship between Acetobacter pasteurian (2522), Acetobacter xylinum (NCIM 2526). Polymorphism was analyzed based on the dendrogram of RAPD patterns using UPGMA (Unweighed Pair GroupMethod with Arithmetic Mean). RAPD analysis in our study showed that there is a 80% similarity between these bacterial strains

Drug package inserts: how accessible is the information?

Background: Information given in drug package inserts is often not easily accessible by patients and practitioners. Presentation of important information in an easily accessible manner fulfills the very purpose of inserts. In the present study, accessibility of important information in drug package inserts is evaluated.Methods: We evaluated 110 package inserts. Accessibility to important information was noted under following headings: use of box, use of special/bigger font or color, use of table of contents and information in front sheet. Each of these parameters was given a point. Cumulative accessibility score of more than three considered as accessible. Provision of toll free numbers and internet addresses of the companies noted.Results: Information in inserts regarding posology, method of administration, precautions under special conditions, contraindications, pharmacokinetics, interactions, pregnancy and lactation, driving, and machine use precautions were adequate and orderly in most. Only seven drug inserts mentioned important information with special font/different color. 18 drug inserts had used boxes. About 13 inserts used bigger font size for revealing important information. We observed a mean accessible score was 0.37 a insert. Only two inserts carried toll free numbers.Conclusion: Important information in drug package inserts is not easily accessible. Display of toll free numbers and internet addresses for queries and reporting adverse drug reactions is highly recommended

Cure kinetics and thermodynamics of polyurethane network formation based on castor oil based polyester polyol and 4,4’-diphenyl methane diisocyanate

336-342In this work, isothermal curing kinetics of a non-catalysed and non-blown reaction between castor oil based polyester polyol and polymeric 4, 4’-diphenyl methane diisocyanate (MDI) has been investigated using Differential Scanning calorimeter (DSC) and viscosity build up studies. Several phenomenological models like Ozawa, Kissinger and Kissinger- Akahira-Sunose (KAS) isoconversional methods has been adopted to study polymerisation kinetics through DSC. DSC cure kinetics is studied at different heating rates (5°C/min, 10°C/min, 15°C/min and 20°C/min). Viscosity build up studies are also done for evaluating the kinetic parameters. These studies have been conducted for an isocyanate index [NCO equivalents/OH equivalents] of 1:1 and 1:2. Dynamic viscosity is measured as a function of time and rate constant and activation energy of the curing system is evaluated. Activation energy obtained for 1:1 index through Ozawa and Kissinger methods is found to be in the range of 70kJ/mol and for 1:2 index it is found to be in the range of 50kJ/mol. Thermodynamic parameters like Gibb’s free energy (Activation Free Energy), activation enthalpy and activation entropy of the polymerisation kinetics is calculated using Wynne-Jones-Eyring-Evans Theory