Cochin University of Science and Technology

About: Cochin University of Science and Technology is a education organization based out in Kochi, Kerala, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Thin film & Natural rubber. The organization has 5382 authors who have published 7690 publications receiving 103827 citations. The organization is also known as: CUSAT & Cochin University.

Marine Algicolous Endophytic Fungi - A Promising Drug Resource of the Era.

Abstract: Endophytic fungi have currently been acknowledged as the most promising source of bioactive compounds for drug discovery, and considerable progress has been made in exploring their diversity, species richness, and bioprospecting. Fungal endophytes from unique environmental settings offer a pool of potentially useful medicinal entities. Owing to the constant stresses imposed on macroalgae by marine environments, it is believed that algae and their associated endophytic symbionts represent a good source of structurally diverse bioactive secondary metabolites. Despite the proven significance of active metabolites of algal endophytes, little have been exploited. This review highlights the latest discoveries in algicolous endophytic research, with particular focus on the bioactive metabolites from algal endophytes. Compounds are classified according to their reported biological activities, like anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. Present experimental evidence suggests that a majority of the bioactive metabolites were reported from Phaeophyceae followed by Rhodophyceae and Chlorophyceae. An intensive search for newer and more effective bioactive metabolites has generated a treasure trove of publications, and this review partially covers the literature published up to 2016.

BoBBLE (Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment): Ocean-atmosphere interaction and its impact on the South Asian monsoon

Abstract: The Bay of Bengal (BoB) plays a fundamental role in controlling the weather systems that make up the South Asian summer monsoon system In particular, the southern BoB has cooler sea surfac

Study protocol. TRAAP - TRAnexamic Acid for Preventing postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal delivery: a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a major cause of maternal mortality, accounting for one quarter of all maternal deaths worldwide. Estimates of its incidence in the literature vary widely, from 3 % to 15 % of deliveries. Uterotonics after birth are the only intervention that has been shown to be effective in preventing PPH. Tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic agent, has been investigated as a potentially useful complement to uterotonics for prevention because it has been proved to reduce blood loss in elective surgery, bleeding in trauma patients, and menstrual blood loss. Randomized controlled trials for PPH prevention after cesarean (n = 10) and vaginal (n = 2) deliveries show that women who received TXA had significantly less postpartum blood loss without any increase in their rate of severe adverse effects. However, the quality of these trials was poor and they were not designed to test the effect of TXA on the reduction of PPH incidence. Large, adequately powered, multicenter randomized controlled trials are required before the widespread use of TXA to prevent PPH can be recommended. A multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial will be performed. It will involve 4000 women in labor for a planned vaginal singleton delivery, at a term ≥ 35 weeks. Treatment (either TXA 1 g or placebo) will be administered intravenously just after birth. Prophylactic oxytocin will be administered to all women. The primary outcome will be the incidence of PPH, defined by blood loss ≥500 mL, measured with a graduated collector bag. This study will have 80 % power to show a 30 % reduction in the incidence of PPH, from 10.0 % to 7.0 %. In addition to prophylactic uterotonic administration, a complementary component of the management of third stage of labor acting on the coagulation process may be useful in preventing PPH. TXA is a promising candidate drug, inexpensive, easy to administer, and simple to add to the routine management of deliveries in hospitals. This large, adequately powered, multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled trial seeks to determine if the risk-benefit ratio favors the routine use of TXA after delivery to prevent PPH. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02302456 (November 17, 2014)

Weakening Trend of the Tropical Easterly Jet Stream of the Boreal Summer Monsoon Season 1950-2009

Abstract: Recent research has reported that the tropical easterly jet stream (TEJ) of the boreal summer monsoon season is weakening. The analysis herein using 60 yr (1950–2009) of data reveals that this weakening of the TEJ is due to the decreasing trend in the upper tropospheric meridional temperature gradient over the area covered by the TEJ. During this period, the upper troposphere over the equatorial Indian Ocean has warmed due to enhanced deep moist convection associated with the rapid warming of the equatorial Indian Ocean. At the same time, a cooling of the upper troposphere has taken place over the Northern Hemisphere subtropics including the Tibetan anticyclone. The simultaneous cooling of the subtropics and the equatorial heating has caused a decrease in the upper tropospheric meridional thermal gradient. The consequent reduction in the strength of the easterly thermal wind has resulted in the weakening of the TEJ.

Blends of nylon/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber: Effects of blend ratio, dynamic vulcanization and reactive compatibilization on rheology and extrudate morphology

Abstract: The melt flow behavior of thermoplastic elastomers from nylon and nitrile rubber (NBR) was studied as a function of blend ratio, dynamic crosslinking, compatibilization and temperature. The morphology of the extrudates, i.e., the size, shape and distribution of the domains, was analyzed. Uncompatibilized and compatibilized blends showed pseudoplastic behavior. The viscosity of the blends showed positive deviation from a linear rule of mixtures. Compatibilization using chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) increased the melt viscosity of the blends. The addition of the compatibilizer decreased the domain size of the dispersed phase, followed by an increase after a critical concentration of the compatibilizer, where the interface was saturated. The influence of dynamic vulcanization on the rheological behavior was also studied. The extrudate morphology depended on blend ratio, compatibilization and shear rate.