Assessment and validation of i-skyradiometer retrievals using broadband flux and MODIS data

Ground-based network of cloud measurements is presently limited and there exists uncertainty in the cloud microphysical parameters derived from ground-based measurements. Bias in the i-skyradiometer derived cloud optical depth () and droplet effective radius () and the importance of these parameters in the parameterization of clouds in climate models have made us intend to develop a possible method for improving these parameters. A new combination method, which uses zenith sky transmittance and surface radiation measurements, has been proposed in the present study to improve the retrievals. The i-skyradiometer derived parameters and have been provided as a first guess to a radiative transfer model (SBDART) and a new retrieval algorithm has been implemented to obtain the best combination of and having minimum bias (−0.09 and −2.5) between the simulated global and diffuse fluxes at the surface with the collocated surface radiation measurements. The new retrieval method has improved and values compared to those derived using the transmittance only method and are in good agreement with the MODIS satellite retrievals. The study therefore suggests a possible improvement of the i-skyradiometer derived cloud parameters using observed radiation fluxes and a radiative transfer model

CLOZAPINE-INDUCED DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS: A CASE REPORT

 The objective of this study was to report a case of a person with psychiatric illness treated with clozapine presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). A clinical monitoring was done on a 38-year-old Indian man affected by schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type presented with DKA after 3 months of clozapine therapy (250 mg/day). After treatment of DKA and discontinuation of clozapine, the patient improved symptomatically, his blood sugar levels normalized and insulin requirements also decreased. This report thus highlights that clinicians should be vigilant about the potential risk of new-onset diabetes and DKA in patients taking clozapine and utilize appropriate clinical and laboratory monitoring early in the course of treatment to prevent serious adverse effects

MEROPENEM INDUCED REDUCTION IN SERUM VALPROATE LEVEL- A CASE REPORT

Objective: To report a case of meropenem induced reduction in serum valproate level. Methods: The clinical data of an epileptic patient who experienced a decrease in seizure control due to a drug interaction between valproate and meropenem is described.Results: The patient was a 26 years old male who was a known case of refractory focal epilepsy and underwent surgery for the same. This patient was on five antiepileptic drugs including valproate. On treatment with meropenem for the management of post surgical site infection due to multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, the patient experienced seizures due to decline in valproate level. Increasing the dose of valproate could not control the seizures. However, changing the antibiotics to a non carbapenem controlled the seizures.Conclusion: The present report highlights the potential drug interaction between valproate and meropenem. Physicians should thus avoid co-administration of both these agents. If concomitant administration is essential, close monitoring of valproate concentration and clinical monitoring for breakthrough seizures are necessitated.Â

Constraining the aerosol influence on cloud liquid water path

The impact of aerosols on cloud properties is one of the largest uncertainties in the anthropogenic radiative forcing of the climate. In recent years, significant progress has been made in constraining this forcing using observations, but uncertainty still remains, particularly in the adjustments of cloud properties to aerosol perturbations. Cloud liquid water path (LWP) is the leading control on liquid-cloud albedo, making it important to observationally constrain the aerosol impact LWP. Previous modelling and observational studies have shown that multiple processes play a role in determining the LWP response to aerosol perturbations, but that the aerosol effect can be difficult to isolate. Following previous studies using mediating variables, this work investigates use of the relationship between cloud droplet number concentration (Nd) and LWP for constraining the role of aerosols. Using joint probability histograms to account for the non-linear relationship, this work finds a relationship that is broadly consistent with previous studies. There is significant geographical variation in the relationship, partly due to role of meteorological factors (particularly relative humidity) in the relationship. However, the Nd-LWP relationship is negative in the majority of regions, suggesting that aerosol induced LWP reductions could offset a significant fraction of the radiative forcing from aerosol-cloud interactions (RFaci). However, variations in the Nd-LWP relationship in response to volcanic and shipping aerosol perturbations indicate that the Nd-LWP relationship overestimates the Nd impact on LWP. As such, the estimate of LWP changes due to aerosol in this work provides an upper bound to the radiative forcing from aerosol-induced changes in the LWP

Effect of L-carnitine supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and nitrogen balance of broilers fed with animal fat

Aim: This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization and nitrogen balance in broilers fed with animal fat. Materials and Methods: 80 day-old Cobb commercial broiler chicks were randomly assigned into two dietary treatment groups with four replicates of ten chicks each. The diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The birds in both the control (T1) and treatment group (T2) were fed with a diet having 5% animal fat, while the treatment group (T2) was supplemented with 900 mg of L-carnitine. The birds were fed with standard broiler starter ration up to 4 weeks of age and finisher ration up to 6 weeks of age. Results: The average body weight (g), cumulative feed intake (g) and cumulative feed conversion ratio belonging to groups T1 and T2 at 6th week of age were 2091.25 and 2151.11, 3976.49 and 4171.68, 1.97 and 1.96 respectively. The percentage availability of the nutrients of two experimental rations T1 and T2 was 68.23 and 68.00 for dry matter, 58.72 and 55.98 for crude protein, 73.85 and 71.35 for ether extract, 34.19 and 33.86 for crude fiber, 79.18 and 79.59 for nitrogen free extract, 70.24 and 70.03 for energy efficiency and nitrogen balance (g/day) were 2.35 and 2.39, respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that the supplementation of 900 mg L-carnitine in diet with added animal fat had no effect on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and nitrogen balance of broilers