Unutarsezonska varijabilnost naoblake nad indijskim potkontinentom tijekom monsunske sezone na temelju mjerenja oborine radarom TRMM

The intra-seasonal variability of the Indian summer monsoon, which manifests in the form of “active” and “break” phases in rainfall, is investigated with respect to the variability of the convective and stratiform precipitating cloud pattern over the region. Long period data from TRMM PR satellite (2A23 and 3B42 datasets) for the monsoon season of 2002 to 2010 over the Indian subcontinent is used for this purpose. The study reveals that the most significant spatial variation in convective and stratiform cloud amount in relation to the active and break phase occurs over the monsoon trough region in central India. The active phase is characterized by positive convective (~5%) and stratiform (~20%) precipitating cloud anomalies over this region. However, the maximum of the former precedes the latter by 1–2 days leading up to the active phase, indicating that the stratiform build up, is due to the gradual organization of the convective cloud systems over the region. The days leading up to the break phase are marked by negative anomalies in the convective and stratiform fractions of cloudiness over this region, which are in phase with each other, unlike the lead-up to the active phase. Analysis of the pattern of atmospheric heat source and sinks over the region from the NCEP–NCAR re-analysis data indicates that the engine for the growth/decay of convection over the monsoon trough region lies primarily in the Bay of Bengal and adjacent east India. The active phase is preceded by a heating pattern that promotes large scale, organized convective cloud growth over the Bay of Bengal preceding the actual onset, while the heating pattern leading up to the break phase promotes the formation of isolated convective clouds and decay of cloud organization over the monsoon trough region.U radu je ispitana unutarsezonska varijabilnost indijskog ljetnog monsuna, koja se očituje izmjenom „aktivnih“ faza i faza „stanke“ u polju oborine, obzirom na varijabilnost konvektivne i stratiformne naoblake nad razmatranim područjem. U tu su svrhu analizirane monsunske sezone nad indijskim potkontinentom za razdoblje od 2002. do 2010. godine na temelju dugačkog niza podataka dobivenih pomoću satelita TRMM PR (podaci 2A23 i 3B42). Pokazano je da se najznačajnije prostorne promjene konvektivne i stratiformne naoblake povezane s aktivnom fazom i fazom stanke javljaju u području monsunske doline u polju tlaka zraka nad središnjom Indijom. Aktivnu fazu karakteriziraju pozitivne anomalije konvektivne (~5%) i stratiformne (~20%) naoblake. Međutim, maksimum konvektivne naoblake prethodi maksimumu stratiformne naoblake i javlja se 1–2 dana prije nastupa same aktivne faze, što ukazuje na to da do porasta stratiformne naoblake dolazi zbog postepenog organiziranja sustava konvektivne naoblake nad razmatranim područjem. Fazi stanke prethode dani s negativnim anomalijama konvektivne i stratiformne naoblake nad razmatranim područjem, a njihov je razvoj istovremen za razliku od aktivne faze, kojoj prethode pozitivne anomalije konvektivne naoblake. Analiza polja atmosferskih izvora i ponora topline na temelju podataka NCEP-NCAR reanalize ukazala je na Bengalski zaljev i istočnu Indiju kao područja s glavnim uzročnicima porasta/smanjenja konvekcije u području monsunske doline u polju tlaka zraka. Aktivnoj fazi prethodi raspodjela izvora i ponora topline, koja podržava razvoj sustava velike skale, te sustavni porast konvektivne naoblake nad Bengalskim zaljevom, koji prethodi njenom samom početku, dok fazi stanke prethodi takva raspodjela izvora i ponora topline koja podržava razvoj izoliranih konvektivnih oblaka i potiskuje organizirano formiranje sustava oblaka nad područjem monsunske doline u polju tlaka zraka

Raspodjela kapi tropskih kiša po veličini nad južnom Indijom

Drop size distributions (DSD) associated with tropical rainfall at Cuddalore in the south-eastern part of India have been measured by a Joss-Waldvogel disdrometer (RD–80 model) during September to November 2002. The rainfall data corrected for instrumental error, matches very well with rainfall rates measured by a self recording raingauge, at the same site. For further analysis of the DSD, the rainfall events were separated into convective and stratiform rainfall by an algorithm based on variation of DSD parameters. One rain event in the form of a squall line of 15 September 2002, was analysed in greater detail to investigate the validity of the classification scheme as well as to study the variation of the DSD parameters during the course of a rain event. It was observed that, the algorithm was robust and had quite good correspondence with other independent rainfall separation algorithms. During the rain event, at low rainrates, the convective phase of the rainfall event was marked by DSD spectra that have greater population of small droplets as compared to stratiform DSDs at the same rainrates. At higher rainrates, the convective regime is characterised by narrow spectra centred at higher diameters. At the transition region between convective and stratiform spectra, mixed large and small drop spectra are observed. Similar variation was also observed in the averaged drop spectra. In addition, the averaged spectra also reveal an equilibrium distribution of the drop population in DSDs at higher rainrates (>39 /hr) for diameter range (>1.91 mm) corresponding to nearly constant values of the slope of the distribution, the intercept and the mean mass diameter. The value of the shape parameter, which for small rainrates varies the same as the slope parameter, starts to increase with increasing rainrate as the other two parameters of the gamma distribution approach a constant value corresponding to equilibrium shape. The value of the intercept parameter is highest for low to moderate convective rainfall and decreases as the rainrate increases.Raspodjela kapi po veličini (RKV) koja je povezana s tropskim kišama u Cuddalore u jugoistočnom dijelu Indije, mjerena je Joss-Waldvogel disdrometrom (model RD-80) od rujna do studenog 2002. Mjerenja kiše su korigirana uvažavajući pogreške instrumenta te se vrlo dobro podudaraju s mjerenjima koja su dobivena automatskom kišomjernom postajom na istoj lokaciji. Radi daljnje analize RKV, količine oborine su podijeljene na konvektivnu i stratiformnu količinu oborine na temelju logaritma koji se zasniva na varijacijama RKV parametara. Jedan slučaj obilne kiše za vrijeme olujne pruge 15. rujna 2002. odabran je za detaljnu analizu radi ispitivanja valjanosti klasifikacijske sheme kao i za proučavanje promjena RKV parametara za vrijeme pomicanja olujne pruge. Pokazalo se da je algoritam robustan i da je imao dobro slaganje s drugim algoritmima za separaciju oborine. Tijekom ispitivanog slučaja, kod malih količina kiše, konvektivnu fazu oborine karakterizira izrazit RKV spektar koji ima veliki broj malih kapljica u odnosu na statiformnu RKV za istu količinu kiše. Za veće količine kiše, konvektivni režim karakterizira uzak spektar velikih kapljica. U području prijelaza između konvektivnog i stratiformnog spektra, uočeno je miješanje velikih i malih kapljica kiše. Slične promjene prisutne su i u spektru srednjih kapljica kiše. Srednji spektar također pokazuje ravnomjernu raspodjelu kapi RKV za veće količine kiše (>39/sat) promjera kapi (>1.91 mm) što odgovara skoro konstantnim vrijednostima nagiba distribucije, presjeka s ordinatnom osi i srednjeg promjera. Vrijednost parametra oblika, koji za male količine kiše varira isto kao i parametar nagiba, počinje se povećavati s povećanjem količine oborine kao i ostala dva parametra gama razdiobe dosežući konstantnu vrijednost koja odgovara ravnotežnom obliku. Vrijednost presjeka s ordinatnom osi je najviša za male ili umjerene konvektivne količine oborine i smanjuje se s povećanjem količine kiše

STATUS OF SERUM MAGNESIUM, ZINC & COPPER IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM TYPE -2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Alterations in serum concentrations of several trace elements including copper, zinc, manganese, and the macroelement magnesium have been reported to occur in type-2 diabetes mellitus. This study is done to evaluate copper, zinc and magnesium status in diabetic and nondiabetic human subjects. In this comparative analysis, the serum concentration of copper, zinc and magnesium was estimated in 60 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without complication and 40 healthy non-diabetic subjects.  The data was analyzed by students’t’ test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient test.Mean serum concentration of copper was significantly elevated in diabetic patients compared to control subjects.  Serum zinc levels were significantly low (p < 0.001) in diabetic subjects compared to controls . There were no significant differences in serum magnesium between groups. Fasting plasma glucose level has significant positive correlation with serum level of copper (r = 0.567; p < 0.001), while zinc has negative correlation (r = -0.311; p < 0.047), but there is no significant correlation of plasma glucose level with serum magnesium level. Diabetic patients have signiï¬cantly lower mean serum zinc levels and significantly higher serum copper concentration compared with healthy controls respectively. Along with antidiabetic therapy, supplementation of zinc and magnesium and chelation of copper can red

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Diurnal variation in the initiation of rainfall over the Indian subcontinent during two different monsoon seasons of 2008 and 2009

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

Diurnal cycle of summer season thunderstorm activity in India

The diurnal cycle of tropical convection over the Indian region has been analysed in this study for the period of March to June from the thunderstorm reports of ground-based observatories throughout India during 2016-2020. The analyses indicate that during this period of the year, when the land progressively heats up diurnally, under conditions of deficient moisture, synoptic systems interact with the semi-permanent features of the atmosphere over the region to define areas of moisture and wind convergence, which in turn determine the frequency and diurnal cycle of thunderstorm activity. While the easterly and westerly waves are the major synoptic scale weather systems that affect the Indian region during March to May, the atmospheric changes are associated with the onset of the monsoon season in June. Amongst the semi-permanent features, the gradual intensification and migration of the shallow heat low to northwest India during May and June reinforce the western disturbances over this region, thereby intensifying the thunderstorm activity during the afternoon to evening hours over the western Himalayas and northwest Indian region. The role of the low-level anticyclones over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal is seen in the east-west-oriented moisture gradient across the Indian subcontinent which makes the east Indian subcontinent generally more prone to thunderstorm activity during this season. The east-west-oriented discontinuity line across north India is particularly intense during the morning hours along the foothills of the Himalayas. Its location directs moisture from the Bay of Bengal into the Himalayas causing early initiation of thunderstorm activity over the Himalayas. The discontinuity line moves southwards to the north Indian plains later in the day, although the western end becomes less marked. The north-south-oriented discontinuity line across the Indian subcontinent between the two anticyclones intensifies during the afternoon hours due to land heating and combines with the east-west wind discontinuity to become a T-shaped maximum convergence zone for thunderstorm activity during the afternoon hours over the Indian region, which intensifies as the months progress. With the onset of the southwest monsoon over the south peninsula and east Indian regions in June, the change in wind pattern from an easterly to a southwesterly flow regime over the south peninsula is reflected in an abrupt shift of the afternoon maximum of thunderstorm activity over the inland regions of the south peninsula to an early morning maximum over the southwest peninsular coast. Simultaneously, with the weakening of the anticyclone over the north Bay of Bengal and gradual strengthening of the southerly moisture flow into east and northeast India, there was in-phase increase in thunderstorm activity during the afternoon hours over the plains of east-central India, east India, and adjoining southern parts of northeast India during June. The diurnal pattern of tropical convection significantly affects human lives over the Indian subcontinent

Laser capture microdissection: Big data from small samples

Any tissue is made up of a heterogeneous mix of spatially distributed cell types. In response to any (patho) physiological cue, responses of each cell type in any given tissue may be unique and cannot be homogenized across cell-types and spatial co-ordinates. For example, in response to myocardial infarction, on one hand myocytes and fibroblasts of the heart tissue respond differently. On the other hand, myocytes in the infarct core respond differently compared to those in the peri-infarct zone. Therefore, isolation of pure targeted cells is an important and essential step for the molecular analysis of cells involved in the progression of disease. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is powerful to obtain a pure targeted cell subgroup, or even a single cell, quickly and precisely under the microscope, successfully tackling the problem of tissue heterogeneity in molecular analysis. This review presents an overview of LCM technology, the principles, advantages and limitations and its down-stream applications in the fields of proteomics, genomics and transcriptomics. With powerful technologies and appropriate applications, this technique provides unprecedented insights into cell biology from cells grown in their natural tissue habitat as opposed to those cultured in artificial petri dish conditions