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 (0.2-2.0 µm). This was primarily because winter convective mixing in the NEAS maintains only a moderate level of nutrients in the surface mixed layer, which is more conducive to the dominance of nanoplankton. Brewin et al. (2012) and Sahay et al. (2017) have satellite-based PSC estimation algorithms; the former was developed for the entire Indian Ocean, while the latter is a modification of the former for the Noctiluca bloom-infested NEAS, with a claim that such blooms are typical of the NEM. When current in-situ PSCs data were compared to algorithm-based NEM data, Brewin et al. (2012) revealed a more realistic PSCs contribution pattern, especially in oceanic waters, with nanoplankton predominating except during early NEM. But the PSCs data from Sahay et al. (2017) showed a high degree of variation from the in-situ data, demonstrating the dominance of pico- and microplankton and a notably small contribution from the nano phytoplankton. The current study showed that Sahay et al. (2017) is inferior to Brewin et al. (2012) at quantifying PSCs in the NEAS without Noctiluca blooms, and provided evidence to show that Noctiluca blooms are not a typical feature of the region during the NEM.

Variability of particulate organic carbon and assessment of satellite retrieval algorithms over the eastern Arabian Sea.

Particulate organic carbon (POC) and its variability were studied to assess the accuracy of ocean colour retrieval algorithms over the eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) as it controls the carbon sequestration, oxygen minimum zone and biogeochemical (C, N and P) cycles. The seasonality in the physical and biological processes strongly influenced the distribution of POC along the EAS. Higher POC and chlorophyll a (chl a) during the spring inter monsoon (SIM) in the north EAS were due to detrainment bloom. The lower POC:chl a ratios during the winter monsoon (WM) (299.8 ± 190.8) than the SIM (482.1 ± 438.3) were due to the influence of freshly derived organic matter with high nutrient levels. The moderate coefficient of regression values of POC with chl a (R2 = 0.49, N = 59) suggests the importance of dead organic materials in controlling the POC distribution in the EAS. Validation between satellite and in situ POC using the four ocean colour retrieval algorithms showed that the algorithm based on the ratio of remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) performed better (R2 = 0.6, N = 17). It also showed a linear trend of POC with absorption coefficients suggesting it as an optical proxy for the POC retrieval.

Idiopathic Gingival Fibromatosis in a Pediatric Patient.

Idiopathic gingival fibromatosis (IGF) is a rare, benign, slow-growing proliferation of the gingival tissues involving both maxillary and mandibular gingiva. It is exacerbated during the eruptive phase of both primary and permanent dentitions. The purpose of this article is to report the case of a 10-year-old boy who presented with IGF whose gingival enlargement covered the occlusal surfaces of many teeth and displaced the erupting dentition, compromising the patient's cosmetics, function, speech and development. The treatment involved gingivectomy and gingivoplasty, combining both surgical and laser methods. The case showed remarkable esthetic and functional im provement, without signs of recurrence one year post-treatment.

Studies on the life cycle of Pleurogenoides wayanadensis Shinad & Prasadan, 2018 (Digenea: Pleurogenidae) from the Western Ghats, India.

The life cycle of Pleurogenoides wayanadensis Shinad & Prasadan, 2018, infecting the frogs Hoplobatrachus tigerinus and Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis, is elucidated in this study. All the life cycle stages from egg to egg-producing adults were elucidated under natural conditions and successfully established in the laboratory. The life cycle took about 58 to 65 days for completion. Miracidia were released by teasing the eggs with fine needles. Sporocysts were found in the freshwater snail, Bithynia (Digoniostoma) pulchella, collected from paddy fields at Payode, Western Ghats, Wayanad region, in the months of October and November 2019. Cercariae were of the virgulate xiphidiocercous type. Metacercariae were recovered from the eyes of the damselfly naiads of the species Ischnura sp. and Copera sp., and the thorax and abdomen of the dragonfly naiads, Orthetrum sp. The metacercariae showed progenetic development. The growth and development of the metacercariae in the naiads that were exposed to cercariae, and development of the trematode in frogs that were force-fed with encysted metacercariae, have been studied at regular intervals. The prepatent period is 14-19 days. The present life cycle study of a Pleurogenoides spp. forms the seventh report from the world, fourth report from India and the third from Kerala.

Traumatic sublingual ulceration in a newborn

Natal and neonatal teeth are those which are present in the oral cavity at the time of birth and within thirty days of birth. They are likely to be associated with traumatic sublingual ulceration caused to the suckling as well as movements of the tongue. The treatment of choice is mostly conservative whenever possible. The purpose of this report is to present a case of traumatic sublingual ulceration in a twenty days old baby. The lesion resolved soon after the offending tooth was removed.

Effects of different dentinal drying methods on the adhesion of glass ionomer restorations to primary teeth.

BACKGROUND: Glass ionomer cements that form an inevitable part of pediatric restorative dentistry are inherently sensitive to moisture. The influence of different drying techniques on the shear bond strength of glass ionomer cements to primary teeth dentin has not been established. AIMS: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of different drying methods for different drying time periods on the shear bond strength of GC Fuji IX to primary tooth dentine. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 135 caries-free primary teeth were selected and ground to a flat dentinal surface. Specimens were randomly divided into three groups - air dry, blot dry, and suction dry of 45 specimens each. Of these, 15 specimens each were dried for 2 s, 5 s, and 10 s. GC Fuji IX was condensed into Teflon molds, and the specimens were subjected to shear bond strength testing. RESULTS: The mean shear bond strength values for the different time intervals were analyzed with analysis of variance test. In the air-dry group, the maximum shear bond strength values were obtained when the specimens were dried for 5 s and the least when dried for 2 s (P = 0.00). In the blot-dry and suction-dry groups, the highest values were obtained when the specimens were dried for 10 s and least for 2 s (P = 0.039 and 0.000, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among the three drying methods employed in the study, the maximum shear bond strength of the glass ionomer restoration was observed in the air-dry group.

Blandin and Nuhn mucocele in a pediatric patient.

Oral mucoceles are benign lesions that may appear in any location on the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity where underlying minor salivary glands are found. The lower lip is the most frequently affected and the most widely reported location. Mucoceles involving the glands of Blandin and Nuhn are infrequent and constitute only about 1.9%-10.3% of the reported cases. Superficial mucoceles are a rare subtype of the Blandin and Nuhn mucoceles and are found only in 4.3%-10% of the mucocele excisions. The purpose of this report is to present a case of a superficial mucocele in the ventral surface of the tongue in a 7-year-old child. The lesion was treated with excisional biopsy.