Search

Background: Normal growth and development, emotional wellness, and immune function all require adequate sleep. Sleep is commonly thought to be a time when the mind and body relax and recover, but in reality, sleep is a period of significant neuronal and physiological activity. This study intends to find the prevalence of sleep disturbance in typically developing infants. Methodology:The study included 60 participants. The parents of the participants who met the studycriteria were administered aquestionnaire including demographic details of the child and questions pertaining to the sleep behaviour of their child during the first 12 months of life. The data collected was subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. Result: The study included 60 participants of either gender in the age group of 12-24 months. The mean birth weight of all the children was 2891.6 (±553.9) grams. The mean age of sleep development of all participants was 4.18 (±2.61) months. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that there was no statistical significance between mother's age at delivery and birth weights or sleep development ageof children. Also,the birth weight and sleep development age of children didn't correlate with each other. A large number [50(83%)] of children developed the sleep pattern by 6 months of age, which was significant at a z-value of 7.303 at p-value of <0.00001. Discussion: The mean birth weight of boys was higher than the girls. The boys also developed the circadian sleep wake cycle slightly later than girls. However, no significant correlation was found between birth weights and sleep development ages of children. Majority of the infants developed the sleep rhythm in first 6 months of life whereas a small proportion developed it later till 12 months of age. Conclusion: The boysdeveloped the circadian sleep wake cycle slightly later than the girls. However,maximum children developed the sleep pattern by 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) has been used to assess working efficiency of an individual. The self-reporting MEQ is available in English language, and its applicability to Indian scenario is limited to educated/ English proficient individuals only. Since, majority in India still depend on the regional languages for communication, it is difficult to make live translation of the questionnaire while administration and results may also vary due to tester's language proficiency. The present study focused on adapting MEQ in Bengali language. Method: The English version of Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) was a self-assessment questionnaire consisting of 19 questions to measure whether a person's peak alertness was in the morning, evening or in between. The translation of the questionnaire was done using forward-backward-translation method by six experts in Bengali language, and was content validated by thirty native Bengali speakers. The speakers were asked to rate the questions on a 5-point rating scale with 1 being very familiar and 5 being not at all familiar. All the questions rated as 1 or 2 were considered for the Bengali version of MEQ, while those rated as 3 or above were reframed and revalidated. Result: The Bengali version of the MEQ has good reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.74). Item analysis revealed it as a good consistent scale for estimating the circadian type of the participants. Participants were classified into 5 Circadian types based on the cut-off scores. Majority of participants are intermediate type, followed by Morningness. Conclusion: The application of MEQ will help in management of tinnitus [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to provide major insight in 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), which will describe the 24 h (Circadian rhythm) blood pressure (BP) profile by measuring its impact on the sleep quality. Materials and Methods: For the study, 25 men and 25 women were recruited. Sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Index. Using wrist actigraphy, sleep-quality was assessed during seven working non-ABPM days (starting point) and the three following 24-h ABPM days. Results: During the day, the average AMP was 139.2 10.9/83.4 8.6 mm Hg, while at night, it was 118.9 12.9/68.5 9.7 mm Hg. There were 40 dipper and 10 non-dipper, respectively, on the standard of a systolic BP dip of <10%. Time had no bearing on total sleep time or sleep efficiency between ABPM days and non-ABPM days, indicating that ABPM has no negative effects on sleep quality. Conclusion: Both male and female having untreated hypertension were found to have disrupted sleep quality. Importantly, it is now evident that the ABPM has a negative impact on sleep quality for either dippers or non-dippers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HoBi-like pestivirus (HoBiPeV), classified under Pestivirus H species, is an emerging cattle pathogen of high economic impact. However, the origin and evolution of HoBiPeV are not very clear due to a lack of full genomic sequences from diverse clades. This study aimed to determine full-genome sequences of HoBiPeV strains of three novel clades (c, d and e) and perform full-genome-based genetic and evolutionary analyses. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses herein confirmed the existence and independent evolution of four main HoBiPeV clades (a, c, d and e) globally, with genetic divergence ranging from 13.0% to 18.2%. Our Bayesian molecular clock estimates revealed that HoBiPeV most likely originated in India, with a dated tMRCA of 1938 (1762–2000), evidencing a more recent origin of HoBiPeV. The evolution rate of HoBiPeV was estimated to be 2.133 × 10−3 subs/site/year at full-genome level but varied widely among individual genes. Selection pressure analyses identified most of the positively selected sites in E2. Additionally, 21.8% of the ORF codon sites were found under strong episodic diversifying selection, providing first evidence of negative selection in HoBiPeV evolution. No recombination event was evident for HoBiPeV-c, d and e strains. These findings provide new insights into HoBiPeV origin and evolutionary history for better understanding the epidemiology and host–pathogen interactions and stimulate vaccine research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low pathogenic avian influenza H9N2 virus is a significant zoonotic agent and contributes genes to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses. H9N2 viruses are prevalent in India with a reported human case. We elucidate the spatio-temporal origins of the H9N2 viruses from India. A total of 30H9N2 viruses were isolated from poultry and environmental specimens (years 2015–2020). Genome sequences of H9N2 viruses (2003-2020) from India were analyzed, revealing several substitutions. We found five reassortant genotypes. The HA, NA and PB2 genes belonged to the Middle-Eastern B sublineage; NP and M to the classical G1 lineage; PB1, PA and NS showed resemblance to genes from either HPAI-H7N3/H5N1 viruses. Molecular clock and phylogeography revealed that the introduction of all the genes to India took place around the year 2000. This is the first report of the genesis and evolution of the H9N2 viruses from India, and highlights the need for surveillance. • Avian influenza H9N2 viruses are of zoonotic concern with pandemic potential. • There is no data on the genesis and detailed gene pool analysis of H9N2 in India. • We report their phylogeography, molecular and evolutionary characterization. • The H9N2 viruses show gradual shift towards mammalian adaptation. • Reassortments of H9N2 have occurred with HPAI H5N1 and H7N3 viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian clocks are considered an evolutionary adaptation to environmental cycles, helping organisms to adapt to daily and seasonal changes. However, most studies on the evolution of circadian rhythms have been carried out in controlled laboratory conditions; hence evolution of circadian clocks and rhythms in organisms reared under the influence of naturally varying time cues is not well understood. To address this, we reared large outbred fly populations in an outdoor enclosure on our institutional grounds in Bengaluru, southern India for about 150 generations, at the same time maintaining their ancestral control populations under standard laboratory conditions. Studying their rhythms in eclosion, a vital behavior for Drosophila, in the laboratory and semi-natural environments revealed that flies reared under semi-natural conditions differed in the timing of eclosion under semi-natural conditions in a season-dependent manner from their laboratory-reared counterparts. These differences were manifested under harsh semi-natural environments but not under mild ones or in standard laboratory conditions. Further analysis revealed that this phenotype might be responsive to seasonal changes in temperature cycles which was confirmed in the laboratory with simulated light and temperature cycles that approximated semi-natural conditions. Our results highlight key intricacies on the relative impact of intensity and timing of environmental cues for predicting the timing of Drosophila eclosion under tropical naturalistic conditions. Overall, our research uncovers previously unexplored aspects of adaptive circadian timekeeping in complex natural conditions, offering valuable insight into the evolution of clocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Government of India imposed the strictest lockdown from 25 March 2020 till 31 May 2020 to control the spread of coronavirus outbreak. Consequently, about 1.38 billion people were under home confinement. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we studied circadian rhythm (CR) in the usages of Facebook Messenger (FBM), as a group phenomenon, and published the findings in this journal. We thought it would be worthwhile to carry out a sequel study to assess if there are any changes in the CR in the patterns of digital activity of the FBM users during the COVID-19-triggered lockdown. All the authors of this paper harvested real-time data from their FBM account for over 16 consecutive days between 26 March and 17 April 2020. A statistically significant CR in the digital activity pattern of FBM friends of all the authors was validated. Results of one-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a statistically significant higher Mesor and amplitude of the rhythm in FBM activity patterns during the lockdown; however, acrophase remained unchanged. We concluded that the COVID-19-triggered lockdown did not affect the location of the peaks and the persistence of CR in the online activity patterns of FBM users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus , is one of the most dangerous invasive species in the world. Females bite mammalian hosts, including humans, to obtain blood for egg development. The ancestral range of Ae. albopictus likely spanned from India to Japan and this species has since invaded a substantial portion of the globe. Ae. albopictus can be broadly categorized into temperate and tropical populations. One key to their ability to invade diverse ecological spaces is the capacity of females to detect seasonal changes and produce stress-resistant eggs that survive harsh winters. Females living in temperate regions respond to cues that predict the onset of unfavorable environmental conditions by producing eggs that enter maternally instigated embryonic diapause, a developmentally arrested state, which allows species survival by protecting the embryos until favorable conditions return. To appropriately produce diapause eggs, the female must integrate environmental cues and internal physiological state (blood feeding and reproductive status) to allocate nutrients and regulate reproduction. There is variation in reproductive responses to environmental cues between interfertile tropical and temperate populations depending on whether females are actively producing diapause vs. non-diapause eggs and whether they originate from populations that are capable of diapause. Although diapause-inducing environmental cues and diapause eggs have been extensively characterized, little is known about how the female detects gradual environmental changes and coordinates her reproductive status with seasonal dynamics to lay diapause eggs in order to maximize offspring survival. Previous studies suggest that the circadian system is involved in detecting daylength as a critical cue. However, it is unknown which clock network components are important, how these connect to reproductive physiology, and how they may differ between behavioral states or across populations with variable diapause competence. In this review, we showcase Ae. albopictus as an emerging species for neurogenetics to study how the nervous system combines environmental conditions and internal state to optimize reproductive behavior. We review environmental cues for diapause induction, downstream pathways that control female metabolic changes and reproductive capacity, as well as diapause heterogeneity between populations with different evolutionary histories. We highlight genetic tools that can be implemented in Ae. albopictus to identify signaling molecules and cellular circuits that control diapause. The tools and discoveries made in this species could translate to a broader understanding of how environmental cues are interpreted to alter reproductive physiology in other species and how populations with similar genetic and circuit organizations diversify behavioral patterns. These approaches may yield new targets to interfere with mosquito reproductive capacity, which could be exploited to reduce mosquito populations and the burden of the pathogens they transmit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 induced lockdowns across the globe have made people adjust and adapt themselves through changing patterns of lifestyle. This study aimed to study the impact of forced restrictions on young adults in terms of adaptive measures, well-being, and circadian rhythm during the lockdown. A short survey was conducted during the first lockdown in India among young adults (n=197) in different metropolitan cities of India to collect information on youth's perspectives, practices and experiences during the lockdown through an online platform. The results are based on the responses of 197 young college-going adults to a variety of questions related to stressors during the lockdown, their support system, and their actions towards ensuring their well-being amid the lockdown period. Sense of well-being was perceived as moderate by the majority of the young adults who participated in the study. However, the collected data also indicates that the COVID-19 lockdown has undoubtedly influenced sleep patterns, food behaviour, daily routines, perspectives towards relationships, life situations, and quality of communication in the youth. Some positive impact was also reported based on individual practices for improving health and wellbeing as well as coping with stress and related emotions. A family-based intervention program is needed for the vulnerable groups to ensure holistic well-being and help them work towards their recovery in different domains as in pre-pandemic lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant honey bee Apis dorsata is unusual in being able to forage during both the day and the night. To date, the extent of this unique nocturnal foraging behavior and the environmental factors correlating with it have not been deeply investigated. We conducted the first systematic investigation into the nocturnal behavior of A. dorsata in Southern India by tracking the daily and nightly foraging activity of A. dorsata colonies in an urban environment for 8 months, over multiple seasons and lunar cycles. We found strong evidence that A. dorsata can behave in a manner that is "cathemeral" (active over the entire diel cycle) when environmental illumination is sufficient for nocturnal flight. However, workers were not always active even when the environment should have been bright enough for them to forage, suggesting that their nocturnal foraging behavior was also affected by seasonal changes in resource availability. The foraging activity observed during the day versus twilight versus night differed between seasons; notably, nocturnal activity rates were higher than diurnal activity rates during the winter. We found that at our study site A. dorsata routinely exhibits both diurnal and crepuscular activity, foraging just as intensely during the short twilight hours as during the day. The high foraging activity observed during the twilight and nighttime hours shows that A. dorsata colonies can extend their foraging beyond the daylight hours and reveals that foraging during these dimly lit hours is an integral part of their foraging ecology. This evidence of the importance of nocturnal and crepuscular foraging by A. dorsata paves the way for future studies examining the role of this species in nocturnal pollination networks, the contribution of nocturnal foraging to colony-level nutrition and energy budget, and the evolution of this unusual behavior. Future work comparing nocturnal activity in light polluted urban environments versus unpolluted natural environments is particularly encouraged to determine the generalizability of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bloom of green Noctiluca scintillans (GNS) was spotted as conspicuous bright blue coloured bioluminescence in the coastal waters of Kochi on 29 May 2019. The intense blue colouration was visible in the inshore waters, which decreased towards offshore waters. We conducted experiments to elucidate the response of N. scintillans to mechanical stimuli and its diurnal variations (photo-inhibition and circadian rhythm) through in vivo experiments. The bioluminescence was measured using a Luminometer in three modes of speed frequencies (low, medium and high). The results indicated that the bioluminescence increased with increase in cell abundance and mechanical stimuli with an emission of 5.3 ± 1.9 × 103 Relative Light Units (RLU) at high levels of mechanical stimuli. To understand the diurnal fluctuations and circadian rhythm in N. scintillans, 20 l samples were maintained in light-exposed (natural day/night) and light-deprived conditions in duplicates for 24 h. Bioluminescence was measured at 3 hourly intervals during the photophase (6:00 h to 18:00 h) and scotophase (18:00 h to 6:00 h) in Luminometer. Results suggest that the light-exposed samples exhibited peak bioluminescence (4.6 ± 0.5 × 103 RLU) during the photophase (at 15:00 h when the Photosynthetically Active Radiation was 810 µmol m−2 s−1). Therefore, bioluminescence was not photo-inhibited in green strains of N. scintillans. Contrary to the earlier studies, maximum bioluminescence in light-exposed samples was lower than light-deprived samples during the photophase/scotophase. These results suggest that though light influences bioluminescence, it does not regulate its endogenous circadian rhythm in bioluminescence in green N. scintillans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus-2, capable of high human transmission. To protect against the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization proposed intervening guidance that included movement restrictions, isolation, restriction of national and international travel or movement, and full or partial closure of organizations and institutions. Police personnel play a vital role in safeguarding the spread of COVID-19; thus, potentially causing severe stress due to increased consignment and direct exposure to infection during duty. The study aimed to determine the effect of the added stress of the COVID-19 pandemic and population lockdown on the sleep/wake 24 h rhythm of traffic police. A concise online questionnaire survey was conducted among the traffic police personnel of India. Collected data were analyzed statistically. Disorientation of working schedule, fear of being vulnerable to disease, pressure of maintaining law, and orders during lockdown increased stress level. The survey identified discontinuation of sleep, shift of mid-sleep time, increase in depression, plus stress and anxiety among traffic police personnel that affected their chronobiological milieu. Proper awareness of adequate health and safety measures, use of personnel protection equipment, regular conversation with family members, and meditation can help reduce stress during this pandemic situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women are underrepresented in groups of patients seeking hypertension care in India. The present paper reports trends in office and ambulatory blood pressure measurement (OBPM, ABPM) and 24-h heart rate (HR) with sex in 14,977 subjects untreated for hypertension (aged 47.3 ± 13.9 years, males 69.4%) visiting primary care physicians. Results showed that, for systolic blood pressure (SBP), females had lower daytime ABPM (131 ± 16 vs. 133 ± 14 mm Hg, P < .001) but higher nighttime ABPM (122 ± 18 vs. 121 ± 16 mm Hg, P < .001) than males. Females had higher HR than men at daytime (80 ± 11 vs 79 ± 11.5 bpm) and nighttime (71 ± 11 vs 69 ± 11), respectively (all P < .001). Dipping percentages for SBP (7.4 ± 7.3 vs 9.3 ± 7.4%), DBP (10.1 ± 8.6 vs. 12.3 ± 8.9%), and HR (10.7 ± 7.9 vs. 12.8 ± 9.2%) were lower (P < .001) for females than for males, respectively. Females more often had isolated nighttime hypertension as compared to males (14.9%, n = 684% vs 10.6%, n = 1105; P < .001). BP patterns and HR showed clear differences in sex, particularly at nighttime. As females were more often affected by non-dipping and elevated nighttime SBP and HR than males, they should receive ABPM, at least, as frequently as men to document higher risk necessitating treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first research article that documents circadian variability in behavioral variables, namely resting (Rt) and standing (St) in stray street dogs of Sambalpur city, India. We also estimated the abundance as a function of time of the day and gender in a population of stray dog inhabiting streets of the city. In addition, we determined the association between the behavioral variables and the environmental variables, such as light intensity, sound intensity, temperature and humidity. We determined the abundance of street dogs at 10 hotspots using the photographic capture-recapture technique and Lincoln index equation. In another study, we determined dogs' density along the three randomly selected routes that connect the beginning (Dhanupali) and end (P.C. Bridge) of the city precincts. We recorded the resting and standing activities of the stray street dogs using still and video cameras at four times of the day continuously over a longitudinal timescale of 72 hours. This study was conducted at four randomly selected dog hotspots. Subjecting the log-transformed time series data to the Cosinor rhythmometry we obtained three different rhythm parameters, such as mesor (M), amplitude (A) and acrophase (Ø) of the rhythm in resting and standing behavior of stray street dogs. We found out both spatial and temporal variability in the behavior of street dogs. The sightings of dogs were always more during the evening and nighttime irrespective of the investigated routes and hotspots. Further, we also observed that the abundance of male dogs was always significantly more as compared with the bitches. A lack of association between two attributes the time of the day and gender apropos the number of sightings of the street dogs was validated by the Fisher's exact test. Using Pearson's correlation analysis technique we found a negative relationship between light intensity and resting activity. In addition, we also found a negative association between standing activity and ambient environmental temperature. These findings were complimentary to the observed circadian variability in the resting and standing behavior of the stray street dogs. In conclusion, despite a few limitations, this study documents a statistically significant circadian rhythm in activities of stray street dogs. It also highlights spatial variability in the abundance of dogs on the streets and hotspot localities of the urban Sambalpur. We do have a hunch. It is likely that similar phenomenamight be of common occurrence in many urban areas of the world. These data might also help in addressing street dog menace – one of the major problems the people and administrative authorities of most of the Indian cities and elsewhere worldwide are experiencing since quite long. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monsoon rainfall exhibits the prominent diurnal variability. It is essential to capture the diurnal behaviour of the rainfall on the spatiotemporal scale by mesoscale models for its accurate prediction. The present study appraises the diurnal variability of simulated rainfall by Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model over the South Asian region during Indian summer monsoon seasons of the years 2008–2012. For examining the amplitude, phase, and variance of the simulated diurnal cycle of rainfall, harmonic analysis of model outputs are carried out and compared it with that of TRMM rainfall estimates to quantify errors. The model is overall successful in simulating the pattern of diurnal variation of rainfall, but underestimates its amplitude compared to the observed one especially over the western Himalayas, northeast India, central India, and the north Bay of Bengal (BoB). However, the amplitudes of the diurnal variation match well over south BoB. The simulated phases of the diurnal cycle either leads (over central India and NW India by 3 h) or lags (over the sub-Himalayan region by 12 h) than the observed phase angle. The simulated time of maximum rainfall matches over south Peninsula, while over the west coast, neither observation nor forecast shows pronounced diurnal cycle. The north BoB shows morning maxima in rainfall in both observation and forecast; however, over south BoB, the time of maximum simulated rainfall leads by 3 h. Even though the model is overall successful in representing the diurnal variation of rainfall, it requires improvement for proper representation of phase and sub-diurnal variation appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews current challenges to health in space and has a secondary intention to set the tone for this special supplement on 'Extra-Terrestrial Neurosciences'. The effects of microgravity, radiation, isolation, disturbance in circadian rhythms and the hostile environment on the cardiovascular, neurological, immunological and various biological human systems are discussed here. Alterations in physiology, environmental hazards, and mitigative safety measures are briefly discussed along with challenges encountered in providing remote diagnoses and health care during space missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road traffic accident is a complex phenomenon. Constant rise in the number of motor vehicles, rampant encroachment of road, easy to avail the vehicle because of loan facility, nasty tendency of violating traffic rules and anarchic traffic systems have greatly contributed to rapid increase in RTAs. The rise of road traffic accidents has become a major public health problem. RTAs cost a lot not only to the individuals affected and their families but also to the nation. The injuries, disability and fatality resulting from unexpected RTAs put a significant drain on the economy of the nation. The present study was a cross-sectional study conducted in central India during 2 year period from 1st June 2014 to 31st May 2016. During the study period, a total of 757 medicolegal autopsies were conducted in this institute, out of which 109 cases of fatal road traffic accidents (died on spot or within 24 hours of accident) were studied. The purpose of the study was to know the age and sex wise distribution, diurnal variation and to correlate the above parameters with the cause of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strong demand of a separate time zone by northeast populace has been a matter of great debate for a very long period. However, no implementable solution to this genuine problem has yet been proposed. The CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, CSIR-NPL (the National Measurement Institute, NMI, of India and custodian of Indian Standard Time, IST) proposes an implementable solution that puts the country in two time zones: (i) IST-I (UTC + 5 : 30 h, represented by longitude passing through 82°33′E) covering the regions falling between longitude 68°7′E and 89°52′E and (ii) IST-II (UTC + 6 : 30 h, represented by longitude passing through 97°30′E) encompassing the regions between 89°52′E and 97°25′E. The proposed demarcation line between IST-I and IST-II, falling at longitude 89°52′E, is derived from analyses of synchronizing the circadian clocks to normal office hours (9 : 00 a.m. to 5 : 30 p.m.). This demarcation line passes through the border of West Bengal and Assam and has a narrow spatial extension, which makes it easier to implement from the railways point of view. Once approved, the implementation would require establishment of a laboratory for 'Primary Time Ensemble - II' generating IST-II in any of the north-eastern states, which would be equivalent to the existing 'Primary Time Ensemble-I' at CSIR-NPL, New Delhi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall over the coastal regions of western India [Western Ghats (WG)] and Myanmar [Arakan Yoma (AY)], two regions experiencing the heaviest rainfall during the Asian summer monsoon, is examined using a Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) dataset spanning 16 years. Rainfall maxima are identified on the upslope of the WG and the coastline of AY, in contrast to the offshore locations observed in previous studies. Continuous rain with slight nocturnal and afternoon-evening maxima occurs over the upslope of the WG, while an afternoon peak over the upslope and a morning peak just off the coast are found in AY, resulting in different locations of the rainfall maxima for the WG (upslope) and AY (coastline). Large rainfall amounts with small diurnal amplitudes are observed over the WG and AY under strong environmental flow perpendicular to the coastal mountains, and vice versa. Composite analysis of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) shows that the rain anomaly over the WG slopes lags behind the northward-propagating major rainband. The cyclonic systems associated with the BSISO introduces a southwest wind anomaly behind the major rainband, enhancing the orographic rainfall over the WG, and resulting in the phase lag. This lag is not observed in the AY region where more closed cyclonic circulations occur. Diurnal variations in rainfall over the WG regions are smallest during the strongest BSISO rainfall anomaly phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ambient noise system consisting of a vertical linear hydrophone array was deployed in the shallow waters off Chennai, southeast coast of India from 1 August to 16 September 2013 to record ambient ocean noise of frequencies up to 10kHz. Biological sounds, which are broadband, short duration signals resulting from Terapon theraps, a native species, are a prominent feature of the ocean soundscape. Terapon activity peaks at 8pm and 11pm, and its presence is not observed after 12 midnight in both the months. In the other period, the ambient noise fluctuation is due to wind and vessel traffic. Hence, the present study focuses on the description of the ambient noise fluctuation over two 12h periods, i.e., 12 midnight-12 noon considered as period I, and 12 noon-12 midnight as period II in order to show the circadian rhythm of ambient noise. In this study area, Terapon vocalization reached 25dB above the ambient noise level and it dominates the short-term spectra records in the 0.4-4kHz range. All Terapon signals had daily patterns of sound production with highest levels of activity after dusk during the study period. The result shows that the circadian rhythm of ambient noise is mainly of biological sound generated by Terapon and it is reported first time in the shallow waters off the southeast coast of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza A viruses (IAV) are fast-evolving pathogens with a very high mutation rate (2.0 × 10−6 to 2.0 × 10−4) compared to the influenza B (IBV) and influenza C (ICV) viruses. Generally, the tropical regions are considered as the reservoir for the IAV's genetic and antigenic evolutionary modification to be reintroduced into the temperate region. Therefore, in connection to the above facts, the present study emphasized on the evolutionary dynamic of the pandemic-2009 H1N1 (pdmH1N1) influenza virus in India. A total of Ninety-two whole genome sequences of pdmH1N1 viruses circulating in India during the 2009 post-pandemic era were analysed. The temporal signal of the study, indicating strict molecular clock evolutionary process and the overall substitution rate is 2.21 × 10−3/site/year. We are using the nonparametric Bayesian Skygrid coalescent model to estimates the effective past population dynamic or size over time. The study exhibits a strong relation between the genetic distances and collection dates of the Indian pdmH1N1 strain. The skygrid plot represents the highest exponential growth of IAV in rainy and winter seasons. All the genes of Indian pdmH1N1 were under purifying selective pressure. The Bayesian time-imprinted phylogenetic tree represents the following clade distributions in the country within the last 10 years; I) clade 6, 6C, and 7 were co-circulating between the 2011 to 2012 flu season; II) the clade 6B was introduced into circulation in the late seasons of 2012; III) lastly, the clade 6B remain existing in the circulation and segregated into subclade 6B.1 with five different subgroup (6B.1A, 6B.1A.1, 6B.1A.5a, 6B.1A.5a.2, 6B.1A.7). The recent circulating strain of Indian H1N1 strain represent the insertion of basic-amino acid arginine (R) in the cleavage site (325/K-R) of HA protein and amino acid mutation (314/I-M) on the lateral head surface domain of NA protein. Moreover, the study indicates the sporadic presence of the oseltamivir-resistant (275/H-Y) H1N1 variant in circulation. The present study suggests the purifying selective pressure and stochastic ecological factors for the existence and adaptation of a certain clade 6B in the host populations and additional information on the emergence of mutated strains in the circulation. • A total of 92 whole genome sequences of pdmH1N1 viruses circulating in India during the 2009 post-pandemic era were analysed. • The temporal signal indicates a strict molecular evolutionary process and the overall substitution rate is 2.21 × 10−3/site/year. • The Bayesian sky-grid plot represents the highest exponential growth of influenza in rainy and winter seasons. • The Bayesian time-imprinted phylogenetic tree signify the introduction of clade 6B into circulation in the late seasons of 2012. • Recent circulating strains represent the substitution of basic amino acid arginine in the cleavage site (325/K-R) of HA protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential effects of tidal and diel cycles on fluxes and concentrations of carbon dioxide (pCO 2), methane (CH 4), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) along with associated biogeochemical processes remain poorly understood in tropical estuaries. The present study, based on six-hourly sampling for nine consecutive days at three locations along the salinity gradient in the Mahanadi estuary of India, revealed that the tidal forcing affected pCO 2 and CH 4 in the mixing zone with elevated concentrations during low tide with maximum concentrations up to 21,606 μatm and 285 μM, respectively. pCO 2 increased with decrease in tidal height within low and high tide duration as well, possibly due to higher relative contribution of freshwater with high CO 2. N 2 O, on the other hand, showed no significant variability with tidal cycle or water level fluctuation during high and low tide. Barring the offshore region, the study area was source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. • Tidal cycle and fluxes of greenhouse gases in the estuary were coupled. • CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes were high during low tide. • N 2 O distribution did not change significantly with tide. • Largely, the estuary was source for greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The daily rhythm of feeding-fasting and meal-timing are emerging as important determinants of health. Circadian rhythm research in animal models and retrospective analyses of human nutrition data have shown that reduced length of overnight fasting or increased late night eating increases risk for metabolic diseases including obesity and diabetes. However, the daily rhythm in eating pattern in humans is rarely measured. Traditional methods to collect nutrition information through food diary and food log pay little attention to the timing of eating which may also change from day to day. We adopted a novel cell-phone based approach to longitudinally record all events of food and beverage intake in adults. In a feasibility study daily food-eating patterns of 93 healthy individuals were recorded for 21 days using camera phones. Analysis of the daily eating patterns of these individuals indicates deviation from conventional assumption that people eat three meals-a-day within a 12 h interval. We found that eating events are widespread throughout the day, with <30% of calories consumed before noon and >30% consumed in evening and late night hours. There was little difference in eating pattern between weekdays and weekends. In this cohort more than 50% of people spread their caloric intake events over 15 h or longer. One decile of the cohort who were spouses of shift-workers or had flexible work schedule spread their caloric intake over 20 h. Although the nutrition quality and diversity of food consumed is different between South-East Asian and Western countries, such overall disruption of daily eating-fasting rhythm is similar. Therefore, in view of hypothesis that disrupted daily eating pattern may contribute to the global increase in metabolic diseases and modification of daily eating pattern is a potential modifiable behavior to contain these diseases, monitoring eating pattern is an important aspect of lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the establishment of a dense rain gauge network and small-scale variability in rain events (both in space and time) over a complex hilly terrain in Southeast India. Three years of high-resolution gauge measurements are used to validate 3-hourly rainfall and subdaily variations of four widely used multi-satellite precipitation estimates (MPEs). The network, established as part of the Megha-Tropiques validation program, consists of 36 rain gauges arranged in a near-square grid area of 50 km50 km with an intergauge distance of 6-12 km. Morphological features of rainfall in two principal rainy seasons (southwest monsoon, SWM, and northeast monsoon, NEM) show marked differences. The NEM rainfall exhibits significant spatial variability and most of the rainfall is associated with large-scale/long-lived systems (during wet spells), whereas the contribution from small-scale/short-lived systems is considerable during the SWM. Rain events with longer duration and copious rainfall are seen mostly in the western quadrants (a quadrant is 1=4 of the study region) in the SWM and northern quadrants in the NEM, indicating complex spatial variability within the study region. The diurnal cycle also exhibits large spatial and seasonal variability with larger diurnal amplitudes at all the gauge locations (except for 1) during the SWM and smaller and insignificant diurnal amplitudes at many gauge locations during the NEM. On average, the diurnal amplitudes are a factor of 2 larger in the SWM than in the NEM. The 24 h harmonic explains about 70% of total variance in the SWM and only ~30% in the NEM. During the SWM, the rainfall peak is observed between 20:00 and 02:00 IST (Indian Standard Time) and is attributed to the propagating systems from the west coast during active monsoon spells. Correlograms with different temporal integrations of rainfall data (1, 3, 12, 24 h) show an increase in the spatial correlation with temporal integration, but the correlation remains nearly the same after 12 h of integration in both monsoon seasons. The 1 h resolution data show the steepest reduction in correlation with intergauge distance and the correlation becomes insignificant after ~30 km in both monsoon seasons. Validation of high-resolution rainfall estimates from various MPEs against the gauge rainfall data indicates that all MPEs underestimate the light and heavy rain. The MPEs exhibit good detection skills of rain at both 3 and 24 h resolutions; however, considerable improvement is observed at 24 h resolution. Among the different MPEs investigated, the Climate Prediction Centre morphing technique (CMORPH) performs better at 3-hourly resolution in both monsoons. The performance of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) multi-satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA) is much better at daily resolution than at 3-hourly, as evidenced by better statistical metrics than the other MPEs. All MPEs captured the basic shape of the diurnal cycle and the amplitude quite well, but failed to reproduce the weak/insignificant diurnal cycle in the NEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corvids show an episodic memory with the temporal information on 'when' an event has actually occurred. We propose that crows keep the time and duration of an event by involving the endogenous circadian clocks, reliably measured in behavioural rhythms. The aim of the present study is to find out if circadian rhythms were involved in the organization of daily behavioural patterns in Indian house crows, Corvus splendens. We monitored the activity, ingestive (feeding: eating and drinking) and grooming (preening) behaviours in crows sequentially exposed to 12 h light : 12 h darkness (12 L : 12 D) and dim constant light (LLdim) for one and three weeks respectively. The behavioural patterns were synchronized and diurnal was under 12 L : 12 D, while freeran had a circadian period under the LLdim. In general, eating and drinking, not grooming, patterns were more closely related to the activity - rest cycle. These results show the persistence of circadian rhythms in behavioural patterns, and extend the idea that endogenous circadian clocks determine daily timing of the physiology and behaviour in Indian house crows, in particular, and birds, in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Polymorphisms in aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator‑like (ARNTL) gene, the key component of circadian clock manifests circadian rhythm abnormalities. As seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is associated with disrupted circadian rhythms, the main objective of this study was to screen an Indian family with SAD for ARNTL gene polymorphisms. Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 members of close‑knit family with SAD, 30 age‑ and sex‑matched controls of the same caste with no prior history of psychiatric illness and 30 age‑ and sex‑matched controls belonging to 17 different castes with no prior history of psychiatric illness were genotyped for five different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ARNTL gene by TaqMan allele‑specific genotyping assay. Statistical Analysis: Statistical significance was assessed by more powerful quasi‑likelihood score test‑XM. Results: Most of the family members carried the risk alleles and we observed a highly significant SNP rs2279287 (A/G) in ARNTL gene with an allelic frequency of 0.75. Conclusions: Polymorphisms in ARNTL gene disrupt circadian rhythms causing SAD and genetic predisposition becomes more deleterious in the presence of adverse environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In avian species, circannual rhythms, in a number of biological variables, including locomotor activity, have been studied under both laboratory and natural environmental conditions. However, information on circannual rhythm in daily activity duration of Indian cliff swallow (Hirundo fluvicola) is not available. It is a communal mud nesting, non-migratory species and inhabits low under arch bridges. Although it figures in the IUCN Red List under the least concerned category, it is important to study its behavioral ecology that may be of utmost importance from conservation stand point. In the present investigation, we examined the circannual rhythm in daily activity duration in this species at a communal roosting site under Kharoon river bridge on the Raipur–Bhilai highway (21°15′07.54′′N; 81°32′30.65′′E), Raipur, India, for eight consecutive days, every month from August 2009 to October 2011. On each study day, observations were made in two sessions, morning and evening. We monitored and recorded emergence time of the first bird from the nest in the morning and entry time of the last bird to the nest in the evening. We also recorded the ambient temperature and humidity of the study site simultaneously. Average daily activity duration (the time difference between the first bird’s emergence time and the last bird’s entry time from/to the nest, respectively) was computed for each month. A significant circannual rhythm in activity duration was validated. The peak of activity rhythm occurred on 22nd June with a spread between 19th June and 25th June. The activity duration was the shortest in winter and the longest in summer. The daily activity duration was positively correlated to the day length, sunset time, and morning and evening temperatures; whereas negatively correlated with the sunrise time, and morning and evening humidity. The multiple linear regression models suggest that day length alone explains 96% of the total variance in activity duration, whereas only 0.5% variance was attributable to evening temperature. We conclude that the day length is the strongest predictor of circannual variation in daily activity duration of the colony of Indian cliff swallow; whereas the evening temperature has very little effect. Further, we recommend that comparable studies under natural conditions might be very helpful to explore the effect of environmental cues on other intriguing behavioral decisions made by this and other avian species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The micrometeorological observations, collected over a station in Ranchi (23°45′N, 85°30′E) which is under the monsoon trough region of India, were used in the Noah-LSM (NCEP, OSU, Air Force and Office of Hydrology Land Surface Model) to investigate the model performance in wet (2009 and 2011) and dry (2010) conditions during the south-west summer monsoon season. With this analysis, it is seen that the Noah-LSM has simulated the diurnal cycle of heat fluxes (sensible and ground) reasonably. The simulated heat fluxes were compared with its direct measurements by sonic anemometer and soil heat flux plate. The net radiation and sensible heat flux are simulated well by the model, but the simulation of ground heat flux was found to be poor in both dry as well as wet conditions. The soil temperature simulations were also found to be poor in 0-5- and 5-10-cm layers compared to other deeper layers. The observations were also correlated with the Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) data. The correlation between the observations and ground heat flux was better in MERRA dataset than that of the Noah-LSM simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the diurnal variations in the time of initiation of rainfall, during two contrasting monsoon seasons of 2008 (below normal) and 2009 (normal) over the Indian subcontinent and surrounding oceanic areas has been analyzed. Harmonic analysis was used to detect the spatial variation of the diurnal cycle of the time of initiation of rainfall, as obtained at half-hourly intervals from the Kalpana 1 satellite. In general, the diurnal cycle in the time of initiation is strongest in regions where convective clouds are predominant, while it is weaker in regions where the clouds are predominantly stratiform with long-lived medium to high cloud cover. In the interior of the subcontinent, the time of maximum mainly occurred in the afternoon to evening hours, with a distinct southeast to northwest gradation. Substantial spatial variations were detected in the diurnal patterns between a normal and below normal monsoon years. Spatially, rainfall is initiated later in 2009 compared to 2008 over most of the interior of the Indian subcontinent. The most distinct difference was observed over the core monsoon region in central India, where the diurnal patterns were stronger in 2009 compared to 2008. On the other hand, over the oceans surrounding the Indian subcontinent, the initiation times are generally earlier in 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Changes in the amplitude and phase of the diurnal cycle of rainfall due to changes in the background circulation and thermodynamics associated with the intraseasonal variability of Indian summer monsoon have important implications for weather prediction over the region. Hourly rainfall data available at 91 Indian stations for 30 years of observations are examined to determine the role of intraseasonal variations of Indian summer monsoon in modulating the diurnal cycle of rainfall over four homogenous regions. Harmonic analysis of the diurnal cycle of rainfall shows predominance of principal harmonic during the break phase of monsoon. During an active phase first two harmonics contribute substantially to the total variance in central parts of the country. It is observed that peak rainfall occurs in the morning hours during both the active and break phases along the West Coast with small diurnal variation in rainfall. Two peaks in the diurnal cycle are observed during active phases over central India. This region shows delay in the occurrence of afternoon peak and rise in rainfall intensity during the break phase of recent years, while, increase in rainfall intensity at all hours during break phases is observed along the West Coast of India in recent years. Further analysis of meteorological parameters indicates that lower-level convergence during late afternoon hours, reduction in geopotential height and increase in specific humidity (850 hPa) in central parts of India during morning and evening hours are in phase with the two maxima observed in the diurnal cycle of rainfall in this region. Therefore, spatial variations in daily rainfall pattern during active/break phases can be attributed to orographic effect and heterogeneous convective development in different parts of the country. © 2013 Royal Meteorological Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several anuran species use multimodal signals to communicate in diverse social contexts. Our study describes acoustic and visual behaviours of the Small Torrent Frog (Micrixalus aff. saxicola), a diurnal frog endemic to the Western Ghats of India. During agonistic interactions males display advertisement calls, foot-flagging and tapping (foot lifting) behaviours to signal the readiness to defend perching sites in perennial streams. Results from a quantitative video analysis of male-male interactions indicate that foot-flagging displays were used as directional signals toward the opponent male, but were less abundant than calls. The acoustic and visual signals were not functionally linked. The call of Micrixalus aff. saxicola thereby did not act as an alert signal. Analysis of behavioural transitions revealed that kicking behaviours (physical attacks) significantly elicited kicks from interacting males. We suggest that foot-flagging displays ritualized from this frequently observed fighting technique to reduce physical attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations on the Indian Spiny-tailed Lizard Saara hardwickii (Gray, 1827) were undertaken in Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India during the monsoons (July) following quadrat sampling that was time-constrained. The study revealed that the area is one of the preferable habitats for the species. A population analysis showed that the relative abundance of the subadults was higher, followed by juveniles and adults during the study period. The beginning of activity of the lizards was found to vary over the study period depending on prevailing weather conditions. The activity pattern was bimodal, except across rain events. The study revealed two important ecological findings about these lizards; complete sealing of burrow during rains which differed from partial sealing on normal days and complete diurnal cycle of body colour changes during the monsoon. Feeding was the predominant activity of this lizard followed by basking, resting and chasing each other. The adult lizards were found to be strictly herbivorous, in spite of an abundance of insects available in the area during the period. Subadults and juveniles were found to eat both plant parts, as well as insects. Microhabitat use such as inside grass clumps was found to be higher followed by barren ground, under shade and on stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to find out the effect of gender difference and circadian rhythm on total mood disturbance (TMD) for volleyball players. To achieve the purpose, a total of thirty volleyball players [men (n = 15) and women (n = 15)] age between 19 years and 22 years from Einstein College of Engineering, Tamil Nadu, India were selected as subjects. The two independent variables of gender and circadian variations and dependent variable of total mood disturbance were selected for this study. The experimental design used was static group factorial design. The data were collected at 02:00, 06:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00 and 22:00 hours on total mood disturbance by using profile of mood state (POMS) questionnaire during the academic year of 2010 -2011. Collected data were subjected to statistical analysis by using two-way factorial (2 × 6) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Cosinor analysis. There was significant difference in total mood disturbance between genders, significant difference in total mood disturbance at different times of the day irrespective of gender status and significant difference in total mood disturbance for men and women volleyball players at different times of the day. Significant circadian rhythm exists on total mood disturbance for women. Insignificant circadian rhythm exists on total mood disturbance for men. It is recommended to the physical educators to adopt the findings of this study while planning to improve sports skills for the players and athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual variability in preferred sleep timing is popularly described as chronotype. This study was conducted on 2105 subjects living in remote (500; without electricity), rural (500; with electricity) and urban areas (1105) having access to modern amenities of Chhattisgarh, India. Horne -Östberg questionnaires were used to find out the prevalence of morningness/eveningness. Sleep parameters and excessive daytime sleepiness were also evaluated with the help of questionnaires and the Epworth sleepiness scale. According to the Horne and Östberg classification, 83.87% of the total population was classified as morning type (MT), 13.30% as intermediate type (IT) and 3.23% people were reported as evening type (ET) with a significant difference ( P < 0.001) in distribution of chronotype. The frequencies of MT people in remote, rural and urban areas were 99.60%, 95.20%, and 71.58%, respectively. An increasing trend in the percentage of IT peoples was observed from remote (0.4%) to rural (4.8%) and urban areas (22.3%). This decreasing frequency of MT and increasing number of IT among urban inhabitants may be attributable to change of lifestyle. Significant positive correlations were observed between evening type and delayed bed/wake-up time, increase in sleep dissatisfaction and higher level of daytime sleepiness ( P < 0.01). Elevated level of salivary C-reactive protein and decreased sleep duration was also observed in evening types. From the results of the present study it can be concluded that the prevalence of chronotypes in the general population is influenced by lifestyle, and that sleep disruption is more profound in evening-active people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of ultrafine aerosol particles of aitken and nucleation mode having size in the range of 1-20 nm was monitored with water-based Condensation Particle Counter. The monitoring was carried out from midnight-to-midnight in every alternate day on a fortnightly basis to represent summer, monsoon and winter (autumn) seasons of 2008 at Mohal (1154 m amsl) and Kothi (2530 m amsl) in Kullu-Manali area of the northwestern Himalayan region of India. The results indicate that diurnal pattern has faint bimodal structure with two peaks, one in morning and the other in evening at both the sites but it is not as distinct as found in plains. There is rather a constant particle density pattern of large magnitude consistent with vehicular movement from morning till evening. The monthly 24 h average particle density gradually picks up from January, increases rapidly in summer months and then decreases in monsoon season at Mohal but at Kothi it keeps on rising from April to October with a slight more increase in September. The particle density is more in summer than in monsoon season at Mohal, a trend opposite to plains. It may be due to the development of warm thermal layer on valley floor while a cold layer develops along snowy hilltops in winter leading to convection of fine particle up the slopes of valley during daytime. At Kothi, the trend is same as it is in continental plains but opposite to Mohal. The relatively more value of particle density in September and October at both the sites may be due to month long International Kullu Dussehra fair in the valley. The vehicular survey conducted agrees well with entire study period averaged diurnal variations and monthly 24 h averaged value of fine particle density. The average value of ultrafine particle density at each hour of a day for entire study period is 20369 ± 1230 Ncm and 14389 ± 1464 Ncm at Mohal and Kothi sites, respectively. The comparison with earlier results shows a significant increase indicating impact of vehicular onslaught on pure air of this hilly region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of Withania somnifera root (W. somnifera) powder, an indigenous medicinal herb used in ayurvedic traditional systems for over 3000 years in India, on the circadian variations of gentamicin (GEN) induced nephrotoxicity. The circadian characteristics of 24 h variations such as acrophase, amplitude and mesor of lipid peroxidation products [Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)] and antioxidants [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] were analyzed. Administration of GEN delayed TBARS (increased mesor) and advanced antioxidants (decreased mesor) acrophases. Treatment with W. somnifera alters these changes. Variations in amplitude and 'r' values were also found in between the nephrotoxic rats and other experimental groups. From this study, we conclude that W. somnifera would work in a dynamic way in modulating the temporal redox status by directly scavenging the radicals by enhancing the antioxidant defense system during nephrotoxic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A depth-averaged numerical model was developed to study tidal circulation and suspended sediment transport in the gulf of Khambhat along the west coast of India. The spatial resolution of the model is 750m x 750m. A 2-D fine resolution (150 m x 150 m) model for the lower part of the Narmada estuary is coupled with the coarser gulf model to simulate the flow features in the lower estuary. The model dynamics and basic formulation remain the same for both the gulf model and the estuary model. The models are barotropic, based on the shallow water equations and neglect horizontal diffusion and wind stress terms in the momentum equations. The models are fully non-linear and use a semi-explicit finite difference scheme to solve mass, momentum, and advection-diffusion equation for suspended sediments in a horizontal plane. The erosion and deposition have been computed by an empirically developed source and sink term in the suspended sediment equation. The tide in the gulf is mainly represented in the model by the semi-diurnal M2 constituent. Meanwhile, fresh water discharge from the rivers joining the gulf had also been considered. Numerical experiments were carried out to study the circulation and suspended sediment concentrations in the gulf and estuarine region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has two main objectives. The first is to examine the extent of stress, negative mental health outcomes and variations in mood states experienced by shift workers (N= 100) and a control group of day workers (N= 100) employed in Feeder Balancing Dairy, Ramnagar Varanasi and Kanpur, Dugdth Utpadak Sahakari Sangh (brand name Parag, Ltd. for both organisations). Second, to find out the relative contribution of stress variables and mood states in the prediction of mental health outcomes separately for both shift workers and a control group of day workers. Our overall findings concur with other studies and provide evidence that shift workers significantly experienced higher levels of job and life stress, higher indices of negative mental health outcomes (as measured by GHQ -- 28) and variations in mood states as compared to day workers. The results of the present study established some significant relationships between stress and negative mental health outcomes among both shift and day group of workers. However, the magnitude of correlation coefficients is slightly higher in the day worker group. For both groups of workers significant positive correlations were found between all the dimensions of negative mental health and mood states of tense arousal, anger, energetic arousal and general arousal. The findings of step-wise multiple regression analysis indicated that amount of life stress and role conflicts were the two major predictors of negative mental health outcomes among shift workers. The results of a similar analysis carried out on day workers indicated that in the prediction of mental health of day workers, job related stressors (role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload) played a significant role. The findings further indicated that shift workers' mood states such as anger, tense arousal and hedonic tone were also significant predictors of mental health outcomes. In day group of workers, anger coupled with low level of energetic arousal influenced their mental health. It is interesting to note, however, that in both groups of workers anger was the strongest predictor of all indices of negative mental health outcomes. Thus, the present study adds additional support to the notion that shift and night shift work is a potent source of stress. Shift work is opposed to the human circadian system and this conflict creates multiple physiological, psychological and psychosocial problems for shift workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research paper that aims to develop strategy to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LA) in remote islands of the Bay of Bengal caused by Nicobarese. It informs that the National programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (PELF) was launched by the Directorate of Health Services in India in 2004 through mass drug administration (MDA) with albendazole.

The circadian rhythm of locomotor activity was assayed in both sexes of Clarias batrachus using infrared sensors connected to an Angus event recorder. Circadian parameters of locomotor activity rhythm, such as rhythm-adjusted average (Mesor), amplitude (A), acrophase (Ø) and period (τ), were determined in C. batrachus maintained under LD 12:12 (I), DD, LD 12:12 (II) and LL for given number of days in each schedule. Each individual fish was exposed to different LD schedules in the order mentioned above. Results of this study revealed that (1) C. batrachus is nocturnal; (2) it exhibits LD-entrainment of its locomotor activity that free-runs under constant conditions; and (3) the period of its locomotor activity rhythm is independent of the factor gender. It appears that multiple oscillators underlie the overt circadian rhythm of locomotion in C. batrachus. This catfish is an important commercial species and understanding of its circadian clock might help in the optimization of its management and pisciculture practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plasma profile of growth hormone (GH) was monitored in the freshwater catfish, Clarias batrachus over a single 24-h transverse timescale in the middle of each month starting from March to August. This period included different physiological status of the fish and also varying environmental photoperiod and ambient temperature. Statistically significant ultradian rhythm in GH was detected in all the months of study. Of the two ultradian peaks, one was located invariably in the early photophase with the other one in the early scotophase. During the period of intense reproductive activity (June and July), circadian rhythm in GH was also recorded in addition to ultradian rhythm. The 24-h average (Mesor) and amplitude of ultradian rhythm of GH were high in March and April coinciding with the increase in photoperiod, temperature and feeding activity. Mesor increased further in May, reaching the maximum in June with a further rise in the water temperature and intense gonadal activity, but the amplitude declined during these months. In the breeding month of July, Mesor declined moderately and amplitude declined further. In August, Mesor and amplitude both attained minimum levels. In July and August one of the ultradian peaks overlapped with the circadian peak of the GH rhythm and the circadian peaks appeared in the night, while in other months it appeared in the early morning or at midday. Synchronization of one of the ultradian peaks with that of the circadian peak in GH in the night of July and August might provide physiological advantage for the execution of breeding at the coolest part of the day. The rhythmic patterns of GH secretion might have a strong correlation with the changing photoperiod, temperature, and feeding and reproductive activity. The observed temporal organization in GH in C. batrachus may have physiological consequences that might provide suitable milieu for the regulation of its somatic and gonadal growth, and execution of reproductive activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim of the present study is to analyze the influence of Hibiscus sabdariffa, an indigenous edible medicinal plant used in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine in India, on the circadian alterations of hepatic marker enzymes in ammonium chloride (AC) induced hyperammonemic rats. Adult male Wistar rats (160 - 180 g) were divided into control, AC (daily i.p. injection of AC (100 mg/kg)) treated, AC + H. sabdariffa ethanolic leaf extract (HSEt) (250 mg/kg) treated and HSEt treated groups. Temporal characteristics (acrophase, amplitude and mesor) of liver marker enzymes, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate and alanine transaminases (ALT and AST) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), were analyzed. Elevated liver marker enzymes (increased mesor and delayed acrophase of AST, ALT, ALP and GGT) were found in hyperammonemic rats. Administration of HSEt significantly alters the activities of liver marker enzymes. Variations in acrophase, amplitude and 'r' values were also found between the control and experimental rats. The detectable circadian rhythms of hepatic marker enzymes and their alterations during AC/HSEt treatments, in the current study, deserve further investigation for the diagnosis and the therapeutic efficacy of hyperammonemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface ozone variability at Pune (an urban location) and nearby rural locations has been studied using KI solution chemical method. The measurement showed well-marked diurnal cycle of ozone concentration with minimum at sunrise and maximum at noon hours. Simultaneous measurements of humidity and temperature along with ozone suggest that the ozone concentration is directly proportional to temperature and inversely proportional to humidity. The averaged diurnal variation of ozone during different months and two seasons, viz. winter and spring show high ozone concentration over the rural locations than the urban location. Higher ozone concentration at the rural locations may be due to slower titration of ozone by nitric oxide in the evening hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diurnal and spatial variation of concentration of aerosol particles in South India is studied and presented in this communication. Concentration of condensation particles was determined using condensation particle counter (CPC-3007) from different geographical stations, such as coastal, midland and highlands. For each geographical location, we collected data from the south, central and north Kerala regions to obtain the spatial features of the condensation particles. The diurnal patterns for highland in the slope are different from those of other stations. In the coastal, midland and flat terrain of highland stations, the variation in concentration of particles shows two distinct peaks, one in the morning and the other in the evening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the influences of Pongamia pinnata, an indigenous medicinal plant used in Ayurvedic and traditional Medicine in India, on the circadian variations of liver marker enzymes in ammonium chloride (AC) induced hyperammonemic rats were studied. Experimental rats (160 - 180 g) were divided into control, AC (daily i.p. injection of AC (100 mg kg-1 body weight)) treated, AC + P. pinnata ethanolic leaf extract (PPEt) (300 mg kg-1 body weight) treated and PPEt treated groups. Temporal characteristics (acrophase, amplitude and mesor) of liver marker enzymes; alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate and alanine transaminases (ALT and AST) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were analyzed. Elevated liver marker enzymes (increased mesor and delayed acrophase of AST, ALT, ALP and GGT) were found in hyperammonemic rats. Administration of PPEt significantly alters these changes. Variations in acrophase, amplitude and r values were also found in control and experimental rats. The detectable circadian rhythms of hepatic marker enzymes and their alterations during AC/PPEt treatments, in the present study, deserve further investigation for the diagnosis and for the therapeutic efficacy of hyperammonemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the characteristics of the circadian rest-activity rhythm of cancer patients. Thirty-one in-patients, consisting of 19 males and 12 females, were randomly selected from the Regional Cancer Center, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Raipur, India. The rest-activity rhythm was studied non-invasively by wrist actigraphy, and compared with 35 age-matched apparently healthy subjects (22 males and 13 females). All subjects wore an Actiwatch (AW64, Mini Mitter Co. Inc., USA) for at least 4-7 consecutive days. Fifteen-second epoch length was selected for gathering actigraphy data. In addition, several sleep parameters, such as time in bed, assumed sleep, actual sleep time, actual wake time, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, sleep bouts, wake bouts, and fragmentation index, were also recorded. Data were analyzed using several statistical techniques, such as cosinor rhythmometry, spectral analysis, ANOVA, Duncan's multiple-range test, and t-test. Dichotomy index (I

The aim of the present study was to investigate morningness – eveningness preference in Indian school students as function of gender, age and habitat. A random sample of 2742 school students, consisting of 1487 males and 1255 females, participated in the study. They were divided into four clusters on the basis of their age, i.e. 8 – 11 y, 12 – 15 y, 16 – 19 y, and 20 – 23 y. In addition they were further categorised into two groups on the basis of their place of abode (habitat), i.e. city versus rural. Each student was classified either as morning type (MT) or evening type (ET) or intermediate type (IT) on the basis of his/her performance on a Lark-Owl test, a type of morningness – eveningness questionnaire (MEQ). Prevalence of MT, IT and ET in the studied population was 35.34% (969), 62.73% (1720) and 1.93% (53), respectively. The males and females differed significantly on their mean scores (p < 0.05), i.e. the former group had a higher score as compared with the latter group. The prevalence of IT was the highest in the studied population, irrespective of gender and age. While this observation was in agreement with those reported earlier, other components of our results differed dramatically in that the percentage of evening trait was extremely low (1.93%) and that of morning trait (35.34%) was considerably higher. Further, a statistically significant relationship was discovered between: (1) age and chronotype (p < 0.001), and (2) habitat and chronotype (p < 0.011). In a nutshell, although the results of the present study corroborate with the most of the earlier findings in terms of dominancy of intermediate trait, it does not support those identical reports where the prevalence of morningness or eveningness is concerned. Could this discrepancy be attributed to latitudinal factor? Thus findings reported in this paper definitely open up new avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhythm alterations consisting of decrease in amplitude, modification in peak time, including the suppression of one or several circadian outputs have been reported in patients suffering from breast, ovarian and colorectal cancer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the rest – activity circadian rhythm in patients suffering from head and neck cancer. Nine patients were randomly selected from the indoor ward of the Regional Cancer Center, Raipur, India. Rest – activity rhythm and various sleep parameters in these patients were studied non-invasively by using wrist actigraphy. A statistically significant circadian rhythm in rest – activity was validated in all cancer patients. They had lower activity levels (p < 0.05) and amplitudes (p < 0.05) as compared to their respective controls. Further, the fragmentation index was found to be more in male cancer patients as compared with their respective female (p < 0.05) and healthy male (p < 0.05) counterparts. In addition, female cancer patients experienced better sleep efficiency (p < 0.05) and had longer actual sleep time (p < 0.05) as compared to male cancer patients. We conclude that the 24-h average activity and amplitude of rest – activity circadian rhythm declined in head and neck cancer patients. A larger peak spread in the circadian rhythm in rest – activity of cancer patients was discovered. Therefore, the scheduling of therapies should be based on patient-specific individual findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of 0.005% topical latanoprost in Indian eyes.Design: Prospective non-randomised open-label multicentric trial.Methods: One hundred and fifty patients with ocular hypertension (OHT), primary open-angle, pseudoexfoliation or pigmentary glaucoma were enrolled at four centers. Each center contributed at least 20 patients. Following baseline measurements, 0.005% latanoprost was applied topically once daily in the evening for three months. Patients were examined at 2, 6 and 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was mean intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction. The mean diurnal variation of IOP (difference between highest and lowest IOP) at baseline and at 12-weeks was compared.Results: One hundred and thirty of 150 enrolled patients completed the study. One randomly selected eye of each patient was included for analysis. At three months, latanoprost reduced the mean IOP from 24.9 (+/- 3.16) mmHg at baseline to 16.10 (+/- 2.7) mmHg, a reduction of 35.25%. 83% had a reduction in IOP of > 25%. The IOP reduction was maintained throughout the study period, and was not affected by gender or age of the patient. One eye did not show any response to the drug. Daytime diurnal variation of IOP was reduced from 4.5 to 2.9 mmHg. 20 patients had conjunctival hyperemia. Six patients had side effects requiring withdrawal from the study.Conclusions: In this short-term multicentric study, latanoprost effectively reduced IOP and stabilised the diurnal curve in Indian eyes. There were no clinically significant ocular or systemic adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phasing of persistent circatidal rhythmicity to an artificial tidal cycle was assessed in the prawns Penaeus indicus Milne Edwards and P. monodon (Fabricius) collected from the Vellar estuary, South India, in the period between June and December 1984. Simulated 6 h cycles of 20 and 30‰ S, and 6 h cycles of 20° and 30°C induced a persistent tidal rhythmicity after 20 cycles. The imposed 6 h cycles of 25 and 30‰ S, and 25° and 30°C induced tidal rhythms after 30 cycles. In both cases, re-established tidal activity rhythms were evident for at least 48 h - higher activity occurring during the higher salinity and lower temperature phases of the simulated tidal cycles. Artificial tidal cycles of still water and running water synchronized the tidal rhythm after 20 cycles. Combined 30‰ S, 20°C, for 6 h and 20‰ S and 30°C for 6 h established a persistent tidal rhythm after 10 cycles, whereas wave action had no influence on tidal synchronization. The influence of possible interactions of tidal rhythms and in situ tidal variables on circatidal activity is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]