Impact of river discharge and suspended sediments on the nearshore benthic environment along the Indian southwest coast.

River discharge into the sea and its implications on the environmental setting and fauna in the nearshore represent the intricate interactions among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. This study, based on in-situ and satellite data, presents how spatially varying river discharge laden with suspended sediments structure the hydrography and the nearshore benthic environment over a 590 km southwest (Kerala) coast of India. The 41 rivers that discharge along the Kerala coast are monsoon-driven; they are small but swift and cumulatively supply huge amounts of freshwater and suspended sediments into the Southeastern Arabian Sea (SEAS) during the Southwest Monsoon (SWM) when around 70 % (1925 mm) of the yearly rainfall occurs.

Dramatic improvement in the "Bulk" hyperpolarization of Xe via spin exchange optical pumping probed using in situ low-field NMR.

We report on hyperpolarization of quadrupolar (I=3/2) Xe via spin-exchange optical pumping. Observations of the Xe polarization dynamics via in situ low-field NMR show that the estimated alkali-metal/Xe spin-exchange rates can be large enough to compete with Xe spin relaxation. Xe polarization up to 7.

Winter phytoplankton size classes in the Northeastern Arabian Sea based on in-situ and remote sensing methods.

Phytoplankton size classes (PSCs) are important in marine ecosystems because they organise the food chain and trophic pathways, which determine the overall biological environment. Based on three FORV Sagar Sampada cruises, the current study provides changes in PSCs in the Northeastern Arabian Sea (NEAS; north of 18 N) during different phases of the Northeast Monsoon [NEM (November-February)]. During all three phases of NEM such as early (November), peak (December), and late (February), in-situ chlorophyll-a fractionation data revealed that nanoplankton (2-20 μm) predominated, followed by microplankton (>20 μm) and picoplankton (0.

Clinician Recognition of First Episode Psychosis.

Purpose: Psychotic disorders develop during mid-adolescence through early adulthood, with the initial few months a "critical period" offering the greatest promise for recovery. However, the duration of untreated psychosis is typically over a year. This study aimed to identify aspects of care episodes contributing to delays in diagnosis of a first psychotic episode.

Coccolithophores: an environmentally significant and understudied phytoplankton group in the Indian Ocean.

Coccolithophores are unique primary producers in the ocean with the ability to calcify. They are known to produce calcareous scales, which form the significant part of calcite oozes or chalk deposits on the seafloor. Coccolithophores are very noteworthy and they are explored to a great extent as nannofossils to reconstruct the past climate.

Impact of a large hydraulic barrage on the trace metals concentration in mesozooplankton in the Kochi backwaters, along the Southwest coast of India.

This study delineates the impact of a man-made hydrological barrage [Thannermukkom barrage (TB)] on the concentration of selected trace metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb) in mesozooplankton from the Kochi backwaters (KBW). The overall results point out that during Pre-Southwest Monsoon (PRM), the concentration of trace metals in mesozooplankton was high in the upstream due to the closure of the barrage, which essentially causes stagnancy of the waters. Trace metal concentrations in the downstream and upstream regions of KBW were found to be lower during Post- Southwest Monsoon (PSWM) compared to the rest of the seasons.

Impact of salinity on the grazing rate of a cladocera (Latonopsis australis) in a large tropical estuarine system.

Cladocerans are ecologically important as active grazers at the secondary trophic level, and they are economically important in aquaculture as potential live feed for many commercially valuable fishes. This study deals with the effect of salinity on grazing of the rare cladocera Latonopsis australis. The experimental specimens were collected from the lower reaches of the Kochi backwaters, the largest estuarine system along the west coast of India, during the Pre-Southwest Monsoon (May 2015), and their cultures developed in the laboratory.

PBPK Absorption Modeling of Food Effect and Bioequivalence in Fed State for Two Formulations with Crystalline and Amorphous Forms of BCS 2 Class Drug in Generic Drug Development.

Prediction of the effect of food on drug's pharmacokinetics using modeling and simulation could cause difficulties due to complex in vivo processes. A generic formulation with amorphous form of BCS 2 class drug substance was developed and compared in vitro and in vivo to the reference drug product with drug substance in crystalline form. In order to approve generic formulation, some regulatory agencies are requesting to perform bioequivalence (BE) studies also in fed state.

Comparison of the intrinsic dynamics of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs) are an important family of enzymes that catalyze tRNA aminoacylation reaction (Ibba and Soll in Annu Rev Biochem 2000, 69:617-650) [1]. AARSs are grouped into two broad classes (class I and II) based on sequence/structural homology and mode of their interactions with the tRNA molecule (Ibba and Soll in Annu Rev Biochem 2000, 69:617-650) [1]. As protein dynamics play an important role in enzyme function, we explored the intrinsic dynamics of these enzymes using normal mode analysis and investigated if the two classes and six subclasses (Ia-c and IIa-c) of AARSs exhibit any distinct patterns of motion.

Metal cation-fluoroquinolone complexes do not permeate through the intestinal absorption barrier.

A case of a clinically significant interaction between a fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent and metal cations was first reported in 1985. The hypothesized mechanism--decreased fluoroquinolone intestinal permeability due to complex formation between metal cations and ciprofloxacin--was based on a 1978 work with nalidixic acid. While clinical research and numerous in vitro physico-chemical and chelation chemistry studies of fluoroquinolone-metal cation combinations simply accepted this explanation, the few in vitro studies, which were aimed to investigate the nature of the interaction mechanism, provided conflicting results.

Psychophysical evaluation of a sanshool derivative (alkylamide) and the elucidation of mechanisms subserving tingle.

Previous studies investigated the neural and molecular underpinnings of the tingle sensation evoked by sanshool and other natural or synthetic alkylamides. Currently, we sought to characterize the psychophysical properties associated with administration of these compounds. Like other chemesthetic stimuli, the synthetic tingle analog isobutylalkylamide (IBA) evoked a sensation that was temporally dynamic.

Modulation of oral heat and cold pain by irritant chemicals.

Common food irritants elicit oral heat or cool sensations via actions at thermosensitive transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. We used a half-tongue, 2-alternative forced-choice procedure coupled with bilateral pain intensity ratings to investigate irritant effects on heat and cold pain. The method was validated in a bilateral thermal difference detection task.

Time course of self-desensitization of oral irritation by nicotine and capsaicin.

Nicotine contacting mucous membranes elicits irritation that decreases with repeated exposures (self-desensitization). We investigated the time course of nicotine self-desensitization and compared it with that of capsaicin. Nicotine (300 mM, 10 microl) was applied to one-half of the dorsal tongue and vehicle to the other.

Role of albumin as a fatty acid carrier for biosynthesis of lens lipids.

Although serum albumin is the major protein component of the aqueous humor and vitreous humor, its possible physiological role(s) in lens metabolism has not yet been determined. BODIPY fatty acid, a fluorescent analogue of a C(12) long chain fatty acid, was bound to serum albumin, then incubated with lenses in culture. After various times of incubation, the lenses were homogenized, lipids extracted, and the extracted lipids resolved by thin layer chromatography.