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.

Underlying Disorders and Their Impact on the Host Response to Infection

Abstract: Underlying disorders, especially those that chronically impair immune host response (e.g., cancers and hematologic malignancies) but also those that acutely impair this response (e.g., major surgery and multiple trauma), increase the incidence of infection and alter the outcome of patients with sepsis. As a part of innate immunity, inflammatory and coagulation responses are lower in patients with underlying disorders than in patients without such disorders, whereas the need for vasopressors and mechanical ventilation is more frequent. Although these patients are older, age-related defects do not appear to be responsible for this lower response, because innate immunity is usually up-regulated in the elderly. Innate immunity seems to be negligibly affected by the direct consequences of underlying disorders, but underlying disorder-related chronic organ insufficiency certainly participates in the observed organ dysfunction, overestimating the infectious insult by itself. Although innate immunity seems not to be actually blunted in patients with underlying disorders, the underlying disorder itself contributes to the severity of the physiological response to sepsis, thereby resulting in a worse outcome.

Thermophysical Properties of Plant Leaves and Their Influence on the Environment Temperature

Abstract: It is known that the thermal properties of a material influence the temperature around it. Once heated, the rate at which a material transfers the absorbed heat into the surroundings is determined by the thermal effusivity (or thermal inertia) of the material, and it depends on the well-known thermal properties, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity. Since a direct measurement of these properties is rather difficult for thin biological specimens such as plant leaves, a photothermal technique is used to measure the thermal effusivity, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity for a few representative species of plant leaves. Measurements have been carried out on fresh as well as dry leaves to estimate the differences in their properties. Thermal properties of plant leaves are compared with the corresponding properties of two materials abundant in the environment and discussed. The influence of thermal properties, particularly the thermal effusivity and specific heat capacity, of plant leaves on controlling the temperature of the environment around them is discussed.

Updates in the perioperative and emergency management of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants

Abstract: Perioperative management of patients treated with the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants is an ongoing challenge. Due to the lack of good clinical studies involving adequate monitoring and reversal therapies, management requires knowledge and understanding of pharmacokinetics, renal function, drug interactions, and evaluation of the surgical bleeding risk. Consideration of the benefit of reversal of anticoagulation is important and, for some low risk bleeding procedures, it may be in the patient’s interest to continue anticoagulation. In case of major intra-operative bleeding in patients likely to have therapeutic or supra-therapeutic levels of anticoagulation, specific reversal agents/antidotes would be of value but are currently lacking. As a consequence, a multimodal approach should be taken which includes the administration of 25 to 50 U/kg 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrates or 30 to 50 U/kg activated prothrombin complex concentrate (FEIBA®) in some life-threatening situations. Finally, further studies are needed to clarify the ideal therapeutic intervention.

Preparation, Characterization, and Microwave Properties of RETiNbO6 (RE = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Y, and Yb) Dielectric Ceramics

Abstract: Microwave ceramic dielectric resonators (DRs) based on RE-TiNbO 6 (RE = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Y, and Yb) have been prepared using the conventional solid-state ceramic route. The DR samples are characterized using XRD and SEM methods. The microwave dielectric properties are measured using resonant methods and a net work analyzer. The ceramics based on Ce, Pr, Nd, and Sm have dielectric constants in the range 32-54 and positive coefficient of thermal variation of resonant frequency (T f ). The ceramics based on Gd, Tb, Dy, Y, and Yb have dielectric constants in the range 19-22 and negative T r .