Prediction of Indian summer monsoon rainfall using surface temperature and sea-level pressure cluster parameters

The scientific community has been putting in continuous efforts to improve long-range forecast of Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR). In this study we try to search for new predictors which may improve the prediction of ISMR. The shared nearest neighbour technique has been applied to surface temperature (ST) and sea-level pressure (SLP) to obtain the clusters in pre-monsoon months (January through May) and seasons (winter, spring). The powers of time series averaged over the clusters are used as parameters for predicting ISMR. Instead of a single prediction equation, two separate equations are developed based on the positive and negative phase of effective strength index (ESI) tendency. Simple multiple regression equations are developed using these cluster parameters for predicting ISMR during the contrasting phases of ESI tendency. During positive (negative) phase of ESI tendency, the SLP (ST) cluster parameters can predict ISMR. The prediction of ISMR is improved if we use the prediction equation depending upon the phase of ESI tendency

The changing relationship between surface temperatures and Indian monsoon rainfall with the phase of ESI tendency

ffective Strength Index (ESI) is the relative strength of NAO and SO. ESI tendency is the algebraic difference between April-ESI and January-ESI and it represents the simultaneous evolution of NAO and SO from winter to spring. During positive (negative) phase of ESI tendency, NAO restores positive (negative) phase and SO restores negative (positive) phase before the beginning of summer season. Thus during contrasting phases (positive and negative) of ESI tendency, the evolution of NAO and SO is out of phase. In this paper we have studied the spatial and temporal variability of winter-time temperature field over Europe, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal during contrasting phases of ESI tendency. The study reveals that during positive (negative) ESI tendency, smaller (larger) region of Europe is showing significant winter-time cooling (warming) at surface. The relationship between winter-time surface temperature over above regions and Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) also shows spatial and temporal variability. The probable explanation for this change in the relationship is discussed in the paper. Two sets of temperature parameters for two different phases of ESI tendency are found out. Multiple regression equations are developed for the prediction of ISMR in each phase of ESI tendency. The performance of these equations is also discussed in this paper

Macrodystrophia Lipomatosa: A rare presentation

Macrodystrophia lipomatosa is a rare congenital nonhereditarymesenchymal hamartomatous malformation resulting in localized gigantism of parts of extremities that manifests clinically as macrodactyly or megalodactyly. Radiological and Pathological hallmark is the disproportionate fibroadipose tissue proliferation in subcutaneous tissue, nerve sheaths, and periosteum that leads to soft tissue and bony enlargement. As imaging is the key to early diagnosis, findings on various modalities like plain radiographs, CT scan and MRI are highlighted here

Ultrasound review of seven cases of breast tuberculosis

Tuberculosis of the breast is a rare entity. Etiologically it can be divided into Primary Breast Tuberculosis and Secondary Breast Tuberculosis. On ultrasound, three different appearances of breast tuberculosis have been described, depending upon the imaging morphology visualized on sonomammography. The most common type is nodular type, followed by diffuse type, and sclerosing type. Clinical relevance lies in their potential to mimic breast malignancy. Hence an awareness of the different patterns is essential. This article reviews the ultrasound findings in seven cases of clinico-pathologically and microbiologically proven cases of breast tuberculosis that presented in the imaging department in the last 24 months. Secondary tuberculosis was more common than the primary form and the most common pattern on ultrasound was the nodular pattern. Pathological as well as Microbiological studies were in agreement in three cases only Microbiological studies were positive in two cases; only the Pathology report was positive in one case and in one case local site Microbiological as well as Pathological reports were negative although it was a case of abdominal tuberculosis.Keywords: Breast Tuberculosis; Primary; Secondary; Ultrasound; Acid Fast Bacilli; Pathology; Microbiology; Imagin

Potential measures to enhance information security compliance in the healthcare internet of things

Healthcare organisations are particularly vulnerable to information security threats and breaches due to the highly confidential nature of their patients’ medical information. Now, with the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare that can vary from diagnostic devices to medical wearables, the industry has indeed become more vulnerable to malicious exploitation. One of the reasons that malicious attacks continue to occur at an alarming rate is due to the poor compliance of information security policies. This study investigates the issues that are associated with the causes for poor compliance within the private healthcare organisations in Malaysia. Data was collected through interviews from various healthcare respondents and findings have revealed that often, poor security compliance is mainly caused by behaviour issues and the severe lack of security awareness which requires immediate attention and mitigation. Potential measures to cultivate information security awareness and to safeguard the IoT-based medical devices are proposed to achieve compliance

Radio pulsar populations

The goal of this article is to summarize the current state of play in the field of radio pulsar statistics. Simply put, from the observed sample of objects from a variety of surveys with different telescopes, we wish to infer the properties of the underlying sample and to connect these with other astrophysical populations (for example supernova remnants or X-ray binaries). The main problem we need to tackle is the fact that, like many areas of science, the observed populations are often heavily biased by a variety of selection effects. After a review of the main effects relevant to radio pulsars, I discuss techniques to correct for them and summarize some of the most recent results. Perhaps the main point I would like to make in this article is that current models to describe the population are far from complete and often suffer from strong covariances between input parameters. That said, there are a number of very interesting conclusions that can be made concerning the evolution of neutron stars based on current data. While the focus of this review will be on the population of isolated Galactic pulsars, I will also briefly comment on millisecond and binary pulsars as well as the pulsar content of globular clusters and the Magellanic Clouds.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Proceedings of ICREA Workshop on The High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems, Sant Cugat, Spain, 2010 April 12-16 (Springer

iPTF17cw: An Engine-driven Supernova Candidate Discovered Independent of a Gamma-Ray Trigger

We present the discovery, classification, and radio-to-X-ray follow-up observations of iPTF17cw, a broad-lined (BL) type Ic supernova (SN) discovered by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF). Although it is unrelated to the gravitational wave trigger, this SN was discovered as a happy by-product of the extensive observational campaign dedicated to the follow-up of Advanced LIGO event GW 170104. The spectroscopic properties and inferred peak bolometric luminosity of iPTF17cw are most similar to the gamma-ray-burst (GRB)-associated SN, SN 1998bw, while the shape of the r-band light curve is most similar to that of the relativistic SN, SN 2009bb. Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the iPTF17cw field reveal a radio counterpart ≈10 times less luminous than SN 1998bw, and with a peak radio luminosity comparable to that of SN 2006aj/GRB 060218 and SN 2010bh/GRB 100316D. Our radio observations of iPTF17cw imply a relativistically expanding outflow. However, further late-time observations with the VLA in its most extended configuration are needed to confirm fading of the iPTF17cw radio counterpart at all frequencies. X-ray observations carried out with Chandra reveal the presence of an X-ray counterpart with a luminosity similar to that of SN 2010bh/GRB 100316D. Searching the Fermi catalog for possible γ-rays reveals that GRB 161228B is spatially and temporally compatible with iPTF17cw. The similarity to SN 1998bw and SN 2009bb, the radio and X-ray detections, and the potential association with GRB 161228B all point to iPTF17cw being a new candidate member of the rare sample of optically discovered engine-driven BL-Ic SNe associated with relativistic ejecta

A hot and fast ultra-stripped supernova that likely formed a compact neutron star binary.

Compact neutron star binary systems are produced from binary massive stars through stellar evolution involving up to two supernova explosions. The final stages in the formation of these systems have not been directly observed. We report the discovery of iPTF 14gqr (SN 2014ft), a type Ic supernova with a fast-evolving light curve indicating an extremely low ejecta mass (≈0.2 solar masses) and low kinetic energy (≈2 × 1050 ergs). Early photometry and spectroscopy reveal evidence of shock cooling of an extended helium-rich envelope, likely ejected in an intense pre-explosion mass-loss episode of the progenitor. Taken together, we interpret iPTF 14gqr as evidence for ultra-stripped supernovae that form neutron stars in compact binary systems

Tissue Microenvironments Define and Get Reinforced by Macrophage Phenotypes in Homeostasis or during Inflammation, Repair and Fibrosis

Current macrophage phenotype classifications are based on distinct in vitro culture conditions that do not adequately mirror complex tissue environments. In vivo monocyte progenitors populate all tissues for immune surveillance which supports the maintenance of homeostasis as well as regaining homeostasis after injury. Here we propose to classify macrophage phenotypes according to prototypical tissue environments, e.g. as they occur during homeostasis as well as during the different phases of (dermal) wound healing. In tissue necrosis and/or infection, damage- and/or pathogen-associated molecular patterns induce proinflammatory macrophages by Toll-like receptors or inflammasomes. Such classically activated macrophages contribute to further tissue inflammation and damage. Apoptotic cells and antiinflammatory cytokines dominate in postinflammatory tissues which induce macrophages to produce more antiinflammatory mediators. Similarly, tumor-associated macrophages also confer immunosuppression in tumor stroma. Insufficient parenchymal healing despite abundant growth factors pushes macrophages to gain a profibrotic phenotype and promote fibrocyte recruitment which both enforce tissue scarring. Ischemic scars are largely devoid of cytokines and growth factors so that fibrolytic macrophages that predominantly secrete proteases digest the excess extracellular matrix. Together, macrophages stabilize their surrounding tissue microenvironments by adapting different phenotypes as feed-forward mechanisms to maintain tissue homeostasis or regain it following injury. Furthermore, macrophage heterogeneity in healthy or injured tissues mirrors spatial and temporal differences in microenvironments during the various stages of tissue injury and repair. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base